Family Vacation -- Once Upon A Time at Disneyland
by SkinWitch
Summary: Henry Mills, is bored...and like any *almost* teenage boy gripped by boredom, he's becoming unbearable for his mother. Regina seeks Emma's help, which leads to a family trip to DISNEYLAND. Experience your favorite Heroes and Villains, as they come face to face with "themselves" and their overly cheery merchandised versions. Will be heavy on the SQ once Regina comes to terms Enjoy;)
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note - As much as I've enjoyed reading "Adventures in Disneyland" by Rosesdancinginmymind I want to take my own crack at this idea. Her story is written very well, and also super funny. The description of Disneyland is pretty accurate for someone who has never had the chance to journey to the Magical place. I have had a Disney Annual pass for quite a while now and I go about every other weekend or so, depending on scheduling. So I know a little about the place and the way it works, and the way the cast members are supposed to act and some things that the general visiting public haven't been preview to. Like, back scene stuff, Walt Disney's fire station apartment, Club 33, the real ghosts of Disneyland and several secrets here and there. The idea of a OUAT meets Disneyland story is like vocabulary candy for me, so I'm going to take a shot at it, and see what sorts of feedback I get. I loooooove Disneyland and would revel in the chance to combined two of my favorite things into a story that allows both ideas to shine in their own perfection. Having these fairy-tale characters meet their likenesses, as well as watching them experience Disneyland for what it is and all the magic it contains (without having any actual magic) as well as bringing some REAL magic to the "Magic Kingdom" by unleashing Regina and Gold upon it...well yeah I just want to see it...so if you like it I'll keep it coming, if not I'll bow out and call it a wash.

Oh, and I own nothing...none of Disney is mine (sadly) and neither is any part of OUAT!

P.S. This story will undoubtedly be Swanqueen heavy, just in case anyone was wondering!

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Henry Mills had just graduated from Elementary school and was now several days into his summer vacation, before the start of a new chapter in his life would begin. Junior High School! As extroverted as little Henry was, junior high struck a terror in him he didn't even know he had. This kid had been through magical hell and back. His great grandfather body snatched him, and he barely bat an eye at the idea. But you throw him into a school where the teachers are no longer singing animal enthusiasts, classrooms no longer loaded with happy little bewildered 5 through 11 year olds. Instead somehow replaced with disgruntled ex villains, and the newly exhausted, and pubescently bored adolescents Henry once called friends. With which now they find him slightly annoying, and a bit of a risk as a friend. You never knew what might happen to you if you were to hangout with Henry Mills. As far as those kids were concerned Henry meant, kidnapping, poisoned turnovers, evil branches on a family tree, grandparents as young as their parents and basically just a giant threat to their quiet sleepy existence. As bored as these pre-teens were, that all seemed a little too much for just a friendship.

The last few days had been spent at majority in his room at the mayoral mansion. No life threatening evils after him or his family at the moment. No operations to sneak around with Emma over. Even with his dad still in Storybrooke, Henry found himself much more inclined to lay on his bed daydreaming and making pictures on the ceiling. He didn't want to have anymore hot chocolate with either of his biological parents if it meant talking crap about the other, trying to give intel to his dad about his mom...or in the case of both, casually throwing out little spiteful digs at his adoptive mother. Henry had been through the ringer and now just wanted to slowly sink into his mattress. He'd occasionally considered if he'd melt so far into his sheets that perhaps he'd disappear into Narnia, and he could start over as Prince of some other far away land.

The lackluster start to Henry's break hadn't gone unnoticed by his mother though. Regina had been witness to the slump in her sons demeanor. So much so that she had stayed up for the last couple nights considering calling the one person who's number she'd wished would magically vanish from her phone. Maybe she could handle a childhood crisis that requires two parents by simply text messaging her co-parent. That's something that co-parents do right? Text? Divorced parents perhaps, and that's precisely how Regina felt about this situation. At least she had after having a conversation over a table at Granny's with Emma several months ago. When Emma so nonchalantly referred to Regina as her "ex wife". Things had gotten less volatile since Neverland, but Emma was still the stubborn thorn in Regina's side, and Regina was still the snarky "other mother" in the way of Emma's happiness with Henry. With a sigh of relenting spite Regina opened her contact list and pressed send.

At the other end of town Emma sat with her heavy booted feet flung up on her desk. She'd half a mind to kick them off for it was shaping up to be another hot muggy June night in Maine. Somewhere inside the back of her brain though she could hear the Queens surly voice barking at her about the professionalism she lacked as sheriff. Emma let her sweat slicked arms fall from the chairs rests and land at her sides. Her head slowing tilting backwards over the backing of the awkward wooden seat. Had she not technically been on duty she'd have let her eyes shut and the drooling begin. As the thought became a greater possibility, one eye slowly starting to give in, her phone buzzed on the desk sending her feet flying to the ground! At this time of night she'd guiltily hoped there was some sort of big bad, or gooey gross evil that needed some savior slaying. When she saw the screen light up with "Mayor of Mayhem" and a candid picture of Regina, face red with rage, shouting at an unlucky Neal...her hopes had been dashed. Regina only ever called to bitch about the paperwork Emma wasn't doing, and more recently only about Henry. Since Snow had taken the reigns as Mayor, Regina was just as bored as everyone else and she had really started to hover. Hover over Henry, and every little sulk, or sigh he made had her in a tizzy. Calling the phone book till she had answers. Always ending her search with Emma, though the brunette woman would deny it to the death, probably even to herself. She rolled her eyes, and cracked her knuckles. Getting comfortable before reaching for her phone to take this undoubtedly delightful call.

"Hello Regina." She let he eyes fall shut in exasperation.

"He's been in there all day. Moping at the table for meals, only leaving to eat and use the restroom. When I go up to tell him that his father has requested his presence for lunch...nothing!" Regina's breath seemed stifled yet ragged. Emma cocked an eyebrow and just barely squinted an eye open in curiosity. They'd helped bring Henry home together, while his looming death and theirs had been a huge possibility and yet...she'd never heard this desperation in the Queens voice before. It had her attention. "I hate calling you. I really do. I was just going to text you, but I unfortunately have to relent to you on this one." She could hear Regina audibly try to keep herself from vomiting at the admission. "I can deal with wicked, and vengeful foes. I can even handle traversing realms and overgrown pixies...but one thing I will have to confess you trump me in, is a knowledge in teenage angst. I don't remember being one and I've even less experience dealing with them daily. You however grew up with plenty. So you need to fix this Miss Swan."

Emma inwardly chuckled at the statement, not because she found it humorous, but because Regina's way of asking for help wasn't in fact asking for help but demanding she right some sort of wrong that the former mayor found her guilty of. "I have to fix this? Why what did I do to break it? Regina, he's a young boy. On summer break, with little to no friends his own age. You figure it out. It's pretty basic science. He's bored! Take him out. Do something with him. I don't know...teach him a fucking magic trick." At that Regina puffed out a grunted laugh. Emma knew Henry cared even less about learning magic than she did about hearing of Hooks affections for her. "Regina, I really don't have time to rack my brain on how to entertain the kid. I mean it's not like he's been much more enthusiastic with me either!" Silence met her on the other end. She waited...

"Please, Emma." It was small. For a second Emma thought she had imagined it. Could the heat be getting to her more than she'd assumed? Was this delirium? Two words Emma had rarely if ever heard from those perfectly pointed lips. All that came out of hers was what could only be described as a confused moan or attempt at Klingon. She didn't believe it till it happened again. "Emma? Did you hear me?" She couldn't think clearly. Never had a conversation between the two of them led to Regina clearly asking her for help...without of course it being some sort of trick. But this felt different and it had Emma dumbfounded. "Miss Swan!" And she snapped back, there's the Regina she knew.

"Sorry, sorry. I dropped my, uh...paperwork."

"I'd believe that if in the year you were sheriff under my watch, you'd ever completed any paperwork. So, will you?"

"Will I what Regina?" She lets out a heat laden sigh.

"Dammit Emma, you know good and well what. I don't need to ask again. Just..." The pause felt like a curse all in itself. "Help me." Emma's lips curled into a smug grin.

"Yup, ok. I'll help you. Take him to Snow tomorrow and I'll meet you at the station to talk about it yeah?" She shuffled through some newspaper on her desk to make it sound like she'd been busy at work when she took the Queens call.

"Ok, could we perhaps meet here instead of your office? I have air conditioning and your building is just a hot box festering with whatever that pungent smell you exude is." Emma just shook her head. Never without a dig are we Reggie.

"Whatever, that's fine. I wouldn't want this humidity to damage your quaff."

"Thank you dear." It was anything but cordial, only Regina could turn a term of endearment into something almost vulgar. With that the line clicked off and Emma was left listening to her heart beat drum through her own speaker.

"Witch!" She threw her feet back on the desk and decided now was the perfect time to get started on that nap, Regina had rudely kept from happening.

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Starting short...I have one more Chapter to post, just want to see how you guys like it before I start to write out the Disney parts. Hope you enjoyed it so far...I look forward to hearing all your feedback! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Here is the second Chapter, currently working on the 3rd, will post if there is a good amount of request for it...oooor of course if I just get bored and want to entertain myself :)

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The next day around 8am Regina had woken Henry abruptly and told him he'd be spending the day with his grandparents. Henry knew something must be up, because if he ever spent time with his grandparents it was due to some form of scheming on his part. So why would his mother have planned for a trip to grandmas house? None the less he combed his messy hair, made his messy bed, and brushed his sleep ridden teeth. He grabbed his backpack, and stuffed it with all the things a little boy considers important items to take, on an adventure with his troll slaying gramps, and bow wielding g-ma. Fond nicknames he'd dubbed them in his head. Finally a chance at real excitement, his stories of knights and dragons he'd played out on his ceiling had gotten rather tedious. Henry was down the stairs waiting at the front foyer before Regina even had time to finish painting her lips crimson.

"Oh, alright. Ready then, we're off I guess!" She grabbed her keys and locked the door behind them. "I should only be but maybe an hour Henry, so don't get too involved. I'll be back before you know it." As soon as she had said it she could feel her gut fall into recess. She could see through her peripherals the visible, to even blind eyes, fall of her sons already sunken smile. She heard what could have been heard, even to deft ears, the sigh of a thousand 11 year old boys sighs. She wanted immediately to take it back, even at the expense of having to let her nemesis' enjoy a few more hours with her precious prince. That however, would mean she'd have to withdraw her statement and give in. Something even at her gentlest state she was not, just NOT, ready to do. "I'm sorry, I know you have been bored lately dear. But I promise we will do something fun soon." The end of her sentence rising in cadence, a tone of hopefulness. "Would you like that Henry? A day, just us?" Henry shifted in his seat, visibly uncomfortable, but with a perfectly scripted voice he said.

"Of course Mom. That sounds nice." His shockingly peppy sounds and naturally gifted acting ability scared the shit out of the normally very poised woman. How had her darling little boy, who had only a few short years ago considered her his hero. Who had run to her in the middle of stormy nights, or giggled with glee every time she'd splashed him with suds during bath time, managed to craft and manufacture such a magnificent facade. A porcelain faced mask of happiness, that she was all too familiar with. Yet again, she chose to ignore it, and just finish the drive silently. Miss Swan would have something that could remedy this ruin her little family was crash landing into.

Once Henry had been dropped at the door of her currently placated enemies home, Regina made her usual stop at Granny's for coffee and a morning fruit salad. With a moment of human decency she decided to grab a second cup, iced coffee instead, and a deep fried donut of death and heart disease for the sheriff. When she pulled up to her driveway, that obscene, yellow, scrap-metal cage on wheels, was parked destroying the integrity of her front yard. Emma had the passenger door wide open, her feet resting on the top of the frame, an arm lazily tossed above her head. The other crooked across her eyes, a grossly inadequate substitute for Regina's designer D&amp;G shades. Regina using her free hand, unceremoniously pushed Emma's legs from their perch.

"Good morning, Miss Swan. Glad to see you're awake now." As Emma shuffled to a seated position, clearly pissed and ready to attack. Regina extended her arm, holding in front of the disheveled blondes face, a cup and a bag. Which could only contain a scrumptious bear claw, as the scent was threatening to cause rabid salivating on Emma's part. "Here, gifts of breakfast and clogged arteries. Don't you find it rather cliché to be eating the cuisine of your professions most stereotypical brood?" Regina shot an eyebrow high enough to shake hands with god, and plastered a cocky little smirk on the side of her mouth. Emma took the high road, shook her head and snatched the bag. Ripping into it like a ravenous wolf, taking a sloppy bite, and said.

"Not at all! Now, shall we operation "Henry Smiles" oooor did you wanna keep verbally bashing me some more? If that's the case I'll sit back down."

"No, no. Though I'd love to keep bemusing myself with your misgivings, I'd also like to have this settled by Fall." Emma smoothed her face into an over done smile, and gestured her counterpart to lead the way, in an over exaggerated bow and hand rotation, the other hand shoveling more bear law into her squirrel-like cheeks.

"Your majesty." Regina turned on her heels, letting Emma follow the sound of their clicking all the way up the walk. The women took their business to Regina's office. A suitable place, much more formal than her sitting room, and not as comfortable as chatting over breakfast in the kitchen. Regina sat motioning for Emma to do the same. She gracefully started taking small, almost beautiful bites of her fruit. Emma couldn't help but look on in awe, at the way this person in front of her could make even eating just breakfast look chic and dignified. Regina looked at her over her fork with the remains of pineapple chunk still on her lips.

"What? You can't possibly want my breakfast as well? You're outstanding."

"Ugh, no! I was just waiting for you to get this going. Ya know shout at me about how many ideas I should have by now." She spat, trying to shake her mind of her strange thought and skirt the conversation back onto Regina.

"Yes, well. What have you come up with then." Taking another decadent bite from her fork. "Something good too Miss Swan, I don't want to be here all day. Henry is off with those idiots and I don't want their influence effecting his personality anymore than it already is genetically."

"Fuck, Regina seriously!" It was an accident. She knew better then to use more than the gentle four curse words she'd ever heard the queen use herself, but...it was too late. She said the word, and worse, she'd followed it with her damn name to boot. She could see through her hair the way Regina's face heated, and the tip of her ear that was poking from her hair matched the shade. Her eyes narrowed and she swallowed angrily. Emma put her hands up in protest but, to no avail. She could not shield herself from the wrath that was to undoubtedly unfurl.

"Look here you pompous little urchin. I've done nothing, but put up with, and suffer through, you, and your disreputable charming family." She paused and then added. "For more decades than I've technically been alive. So please, if you insist on tarnishing your vocabulary with such degradation. Then do me one little courtesy and leave my name out of it. And yes, seriously!" Regina turned back quietly to her fruit and casually shuffled a few papers back into her desk. "Now go on, what are your ideas?"

"Kay, so here's my list; Take him to the park and play on the climber thing? I know he's getting older, but he'd probably think it was funny that you were playing too. Uuuh, horses, you like em so he might like em. Three, how about you take the kid swimming? Like the ocean maybe? Or you could take him on vacation, but Regina...I gotta be honest here. Why don't you just ask Henry what he wants to do. Maybe he will buck up a bit if you talk to him about what's wrong?" Regina sat quietly chewing on Emma's suggestion, and her breakfast. She didn't want that woman to be right. But dammit if she wasn't so right it stung. Regina nodded gathered the remains of her food and put them in the To-go bag. She crumpled it tightly and stood to exist. Emma followed in her wake. "Regina, I...I didn't mean to offend you with that. If I did I'm really sorry." Emma also found it hard to insult this woman without retorting just as quickly as she'd flubbed. Again Regina just nodded and silently led Emma to the front door.

"I thank you for your advice Miss Swan, it's been enlightening. I shall just simply ask him what he wants. That's what parents do I assume, though I've been one for the past 11 years I know very little of what it requires." She extended her hand to see the blonde out and closed the door behind her. She didn't know why she was always having to oppose Miss Swan, even when she knew she was right. It just felt easier. And more to her nature than anything else. Something inside her secretly longed to just be sweet. She'd almost venture to say "Mary Margret-esque" but it pained her too much to go there. Emma was absolutely right, and in no way was what Emma said tactless, but Regina couldn't let that guard her mother built down. She couldn't just thank her genuinely and take her advice with a smile. She stood with her back pressed against the door letting a heavy sigh escape on her breath. "Guess I should talk to Henry."

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Hoped ya'll liked it...excited to keep writing!


	3. Chapter 3

-Tried to make this one a bit longer...but since I like to get super wordy with inner thoughts and description I try not to let each chapter go on for too long.

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Henry took off up the walk way and used his own key to open the front door. He rushed up the stairs without so much as a nod in his mothers direction. The whole ride home had been silent. When she'd gotten to Snow's she'd been met with a less than thrilled glare from her son, and an apologetic shrug from the pixie cut clad woman. Magic had swirled within Regina at the sight of Snow White being once again so frustratingly decent. Regina grabbed her things and followed after Hurricane Henry. Despite her better judgment she made her way up the stairs to his domicile.

"Henry Darling, May I come in? I'd like to speak with you." He didn't look up from the comic book he had sprawled out in front of him.

"Sure. What about?" Monotone and uninterested are two words that perfectly describe Henry's response. He only just barely shifted his body enough to allow her access to a smidgen of his bed to sit upon.

"Henry, please look at me. I'm trying to have a discussion with you. A conversation is two people, conversing dear. Not one person speaking to the air around the other. Now please sweetheart, give me ten minutes and I'll leave you alone." Henry had stayed still while she spoke, but had an ear cocked and a sneaky little eye stealing glances at her. He slowly closed his comic and rolled from his uninterested belly position, to sit upright. He lazily threaded his little fingers together and placed them in his lap. As if to say…"Okay, go ahead" At that Regina audibly sighed and restarted her spiel.

"I've noticed your decline in interest lately. Staying holed up in your room all day, and not taking any significant interest in, well…anything." Henry just watched her. Not letting on that any of what she said was sinking in. So she continued. "I tried to come up with a solution on my own, but I just couldn't. So…I contacted Miss Swan." At that Henry's eyes nearly rolled all the way into the back of his head, much to Regina's chagrin. "She suggested a few obvious solutions. I'm not really convinced she tried very hard." She mocked a laugh to which Henry sent a dagger like glare at her. It was one thing for him to take punches from his bio parents directed towards her. They had their reasons. Regina however, he couldn't justify her constant digs any longer. Regina ignored him and continued. "In short…I decided it would be best if I just simply asked you, what it is you'd want to do. What will help lift your spirits love, anything in the world? You name it, it's yours." The brunette woman threw her arms out lavishly. Henry's brows knitted together. He chewed on the inside of his cheeks and tugged at one of his ears. Regina recognized this motion as being something the boy had done since he was very small. Whenever Henry found himself deep in thought, or really trying to rack his brain for an answer, he'd tug at his lobes like they were the key to turning the gears in his head. She watched bemused. Even at his most infuriating moments, this growing young man was still her adorable little boy from what felt like so many years ago. She couldn't imagine ever declining a request he could pose. So why was it he looked so worrisome over the idea of sharing his thoughts with her. Ahhh yes…Ex EVIL Queen. Never mind.

"Disneyland." He burst. It was Regina's turn to look confused.

"Disneyland?" She asked questioningly. He knew, that she knew, what Disneyland was. If she was trying to fain confusion to get out of it, he was going to lose it. His face dropped into a complete lack of expression and he just stared. "Yes, of course, Disneyland. What a…quaint, idea." He had won. He skipped right passed a mental pat on the back, and went straight for a mental super self high five. Now to unleash the full extent of his plan.

"Well…" Uh oh, Regina thought. What did I just walk myself into? "I would really, really like it if ALL of us could go." All of us, she thought. What in the name of all that is holy could "All of us." Entail. "Ya know…You, me, Emma, Dad, Grandma and Grandpa, Grandpa Rumple, Maybe Ruby and Belle and even Hook could come! Like the whole cast and crew, ya think? I mean…it could be great Mom!"

Ugh, he just had to call her Mom. And be so cute and talkative, with those eyes, and the face. Of course the most he'd said to her in a week had been about all the people she'd hoped never to hear of, or speak of again. What to do, what to do? A curse perhaps? A spell to make him forget the last 10 minutes? Maybe a disappearance spell…for whom, however, she wasn't quite sold on yet. Maybe just vanishing herself, to some far away undisclosed location was the best mode of dealing with this inescapable evil. That portrayed itself as a family vacation, to this Happy Hell Hole she'd seen several times on TV, after that blonde headache had broken her perfect curse. With an over the top sigh and a voice that gave off as little excitement as possible, she uttered those two little words she knew she'd regret for a long time to come.

"…Of course." And with that, Henry leaped from his seated position and flung his slender arms around her, to which she couldn't keep from feeling the slightest little flutter in her once stone heart. I guess it could be worse, she thought. My mother could be alive and invited. Hmmm…not a bad idea, maybe she'd rid me of them before the front gates were in sight. No, better not, too many innocent bystanders, and Emma would without a doubt ruin it with her incessant need to save.

"Great! I'm gonna go let everyone know!"

"Henry, Henry wait! If this is what you really want, it's going to take a little more than just an invite Sweetheart. There is planning, and arrangements that need to be made."

"Yeah, I know, but I should at least ask everyone first. Then we can all figure out, and plan together." Eck! Really? Gross, _together_. What an ugly, horrid word. Regina had to stop herself inwardly. As regal and posh as she was on the outside, she could recognize the internal childishness that was starting to threaten surfacing. Keep it together. You can poison them all later.

"Yes, of course. Go ahead Dear. I'll start to look into lodgings and what not."

"I was thinking we could stay at one of the Resorts! They attach to the parks and they're like a vacation all in itself! You'll love it!" Momentarily, Regina had half a mind to ask why it was Henry had already picked out a hotel. How in the world had he already chosen hotel options when she'd only just minutes ago suggested the idea of doing anything at all? Something was fishy, but in all her years she had learned some things were better left unasked. She was also more effective when she snooped, and searched for answers in secret. She'd eventually get to the bottom of Henry's little scheme, all in due time.

"…Sounds delightful. You go and inform the others. I'll look into these resorts." California…how marvelous she skulked. There was a reason Regina stayed in Maine. Sunshine and Spray tans were not on her list of favorite things. Too late to go back on my word now, looks like I'll be spending the next several hours trying to request rooms in separate hotels, preferably separate continents. Maybe I could put them in a Budget Inn and Henry would never be the wiser? Regina had started this new internal dialogue thing lately. Must have been some sort of side effect from all the lack of fighting and evil doings. Perhaps she should go back to externalizing all her wicked little thoughts again. However, people were far less apt to locking her up and trying to tie her to trees when she kept her thoughts as just that. "Here goes nothing." She took out her Mac and started to determinedly click away at the keys. "Grand Californian…Hah! With the Fairy Family there it shall be anything but! Ooooh a spa…well I suppose it won't be all bad."

Regina nearly fell out of her chair as she scanned through the prices. To accommodate all these scoundrels and Neanderthals that Henry intended to share the trip with, Regina would be penniless and sad in a matter of card swipes. She considered magic, as one of her gifted-ness commonly does in moments such as these. She then came to a few solutions that might sit well with everyone, and could still be easily managed by her wallet, and her stomach. Suites…with doors that lock and large enough common areas that she could easily hide herself away in her room, bathroom to be more specific, and just ignore, ignore, ignore. A list and price range had been drawn up in a matter of a few hours. Magic still a pretty definitive last resort. Why not, when ya got it use it right?

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Henry had made his way home to eat the dinner Regina had poofed into the world, as prepping had cut into almost all of her typical dinner time schedule. They ate, without so much as a word on the vacation. She assumed Henry could sense her complex feelings towards the whole ordeal, so he kept the convo light and frilly for her. Speaking solely on his comics and the random shows he'd started to tune into with all his new found time. They exchanged pleasantries for a while longer, and even enjoyed a nice bowl of ice cream, over a movie in the den just before bed. He'd started to drift on the sofa next to her, when she gently brushed a few arrant strands of hair from his face.

"Wake up, Sweetheart. Go upstairs and get yourself ready for bed. You'll wake up all stiff and sore if I let you sleep out here." With that he unceremoniously lifted his tired figure from the couch and trudged up the stairs. Eerily like his other mother would…she imagined. Cue awkward internal silence. She turned off the television and the remaining lights in the house, following her sons lead. She had a lot more planning and "discussing" to do tomorrow, sleep would be a much needed thing.

Regina fell asleep that night with the hopes that tomorrow she would wake to the sweet sounds of Henry, telling her that everyone had indefinitely had other plans, lack of interest, or some sort of flesh eating bacteria that would keep them quarantined for at least until they got back home. As her conscience slowly drifted from coherent to nonsensical, Regina found her dreams forming around a rather dopey smiling face. It had the same lovable childlike glow as her precious son, but a more feminine chisel, and an older aura about it. Even in her sleeping state Regina shifted uncomfortably. The sight took focus and she could make out perfectly her son, and his birth mother, holding hands and almost skipping through the walkways of Disneyland. Her heart palpitated in retched betrayal. She found her dream self catching her breath in a hitch and being completely overcome with some sort of feeling. The two made eye contact with her and held out their hands, as if beckoning her to join them in their "frolic". Regina sprang up right in her overly pillowed bed, a feeling of dread, and joy washing over her all at once. "What the Fuck." Join our Disney cult Regina, it'll be fun, she thought. She shook her head to rid herself of these mixed emotions, not quite ready to address why the dream had both warmed her and rattled her to her core. Glancing at her clock, she realized she'd only just been asleep for a little over an hour. She rolled her eyes and laid her head back on her pillow, placing a relaxation spell on herself to ensure a nice dreamless sleep for the remainder of the night. Emma was about to encroach upon her life even further than she already had on a daily bases…now being part of some twisted family vacation. Regina would much appreciate one last night without those dreadful blonde tendrils seeping into her existence.

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-Chapter 4 will happen...probably after I get home from work tomorrow...or over the weekend. Faster even if I get some reviews and am convinced to do so! ;p


	4. Chapter 4

I made this one longer, and tried to get it done quickly, as I promised to give someone procrastination excuses! Hope you guys like how I'm portraying Regina via inner dialogue. I kinda like to imagine her as snarky and sarcastic on the inside as she is on the outside...but with a less poised undertone. Emma's inner self is...Emma's usual self. :D

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Regina woke to the sounds of voices coming from the floor below. She immediately recognized the cadence and naturally whimsical tone, it sent bile straight up into her throat. She stayed stagnant for a moment trying to gather her poise and thoughts. It was way too early in the morning to deal with a nemesis, and even earlier for her to have to make pleasant conversation with one. Realizing she couldn't play hide and never seek any longer, she magiced herself a powerful outfit and matching hairdo. Time to face the music she mused.

Downstairs in her kitchen she found her son surrounded by plates of various breakfast items. A broad figure was standing with his back to her, helping to stir some sort of concoction in a large mixing bowl. As she scanned the rest of her once sanctuary like kitchen she noticed several more unwelcome intruders. Near the sink, a smaller woman with choppy brown hair stood washing off fruit, and humming lightly under her breath. A taller brunette was at her refrigerator doors grabbing various juices, her high red heels giving her slim legs the illusion of a gorgeous ladder leading to a rather plump looking rear end. Regina had always appreciated Ruby's form, and wasn't about to deny the allure it held standing here now in her presence. She heard voices approaching from behind her in the front entryway, the imp and his Belle were making their way towards her quickly, with Emma Swan in tow. Oh kill me now…

Before the front door could swing shut completely behind Emma, a rather large boot forced its way between it and the jam. Oh perfect…the Pirate and his imbecilic partner. Why sure, Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dipshit, come eat of my fruits and sit upon my lovely furniture. This house is not my own. I've been raided and invaded. PLEASE LEAVE THE GOOD SILVER! Regina threw her hands up in surrender at her own thoughts. Causing Emma to blink at her in confusion, as The Queen shook out her wrists and gave up.

"Good morning Dearie." The gravelly sounds spilled from his lips. "Or I suppose in this case I should say…just _Morning_." He lowered his speech so only she could hear. "I imagine you're conjuring up ways to sneak something in the morning pancakes? Perhaps a special spice? Hmmm" He cackled to himself. Belle put a tender hand on Regina's arm.

"Good Morning, Regina." As much as she wanted to slap the girls hand away, in all that she had done to her, Belle has still managed to be cordial. Something she always found off putting and disconcerting. No one, is always THIS nice. Even Sno…*choke* Mary-Margret. Belle dislodged her arm from Rumples, and floated across the floor to make her way to Ruby. She placed the same hand that had been perched on Regina, around Ruby's shoulder. Speaking softly into her ear, Ruby smiled graciously and handed the bookworm a carton of Soy Milk. Regina watched the encounter, hmmmm…I wonder. Emma nodded at her hostess, her own form of a greeting. The sheriff made her way to her mother's side, not really wanting to initiate anything with Regina just yet. The bumbling fools followed suite with their own "hat tipping" hellos. Well…here I am, my house is a prison, and I am not its warden. HELP! Anyone! Regina let her head hang and sulked back into her full to bursting kitchen.

"Alright, well now that everyone is here…" Snow clapped her still damp hands together. "I can take breakfast orders and once we're all seated we can go over the plans?" She took a risk at looking to her step- mother for approval, to which she did not receive conformation. Regina instead looked to her boy, as he sheepishly hid behind his "Grandfather" Charming. Regina couldn't…any longer.

"Hold on a moment." She placed a dictator's hand in the air. "I'm a little confused here. Stop me if I'm wrong…but, is this not my home? My kitchen…my food into which you are cutting and chopping, and stirring!" She pointed to David. "I must assume you've all arrived this morning with the intent to convene on the Disney topic. And I also assume that you were given the go ahead to do so, by the one we all have in common. Henry if you wouldn't mind removing yourself from behind David and explaining to me, why it is I've just been informed of this Family get together?" Everyone turned to the red faced boy with gasping looks. Why hadn't they figured that the morning would go like this? He didn't exactly have an honest track record when it came to his adoptive mother.

"Well…I…I just figured we'd all want to talk it out, and what better way to do that then with food?" He became braver. "Everyone likes food. I know you do mom." He glanced to Emma. Well what the hell does that mean, Emma thought. She just shrugged her bare shoulders. Regina wanted to immediately tear them out of their sockets for having the nerve to agree.

"Food, and how much of it any of you enjoy eating it, is beside the point. Now, I'm becoming perfectly aware, that none of you knew that I did not already know of this gathering. And seeing as you're all already invading my Saturday, and have already managed to prepare every last morsel in my cupboards, we may as well just get on with it. Henry, why don't you get us started." Regina sent a stern look towards the 12 year old and let him know that THIS, was most certainly NOT the end of this discussion. Later my son, later…

Henry choked back a gulp and then let loose a pathetic smile. "Well, why don't we just get our breakfast first, and then Mom and Emma can go over all the logistics." Oooooh, if I didn't love you so much I'd fireball you from across the kitchen island right now, Regina's eyes burned red. Snow intervened and started to casually take orders from the brood, until Ruby took over because of her natural talent when it came to waiting tables and takin orders.

Once everyone was seated at the larger more formal table (which Regina had up until now, never had a use for.) Henry looked to Emma to take the reins. She stopped mid bite and cleared her throat.

"Alright, so Disneyland guys, Yeah!" She start to throw her fist in there air, and when no one looked amused, retracted in awkward shame. " Henry, wants all of us to make a cross country trek to California, where we will all be staying for 1 week, at a currently undecided Disneyland Resort. At least that's what he told me last night." She looked at Regina who once again, just could not believe the nerve of her own son. One week, does he think I'm suddenly Daddy Warbucks? That because I did a handful of not so copacetic deeds, all of a sudden I have to pay for guilt trips. Her body slammed it's fists on the table and stood without her permission.

"Look, I've agreed to this "Vacation", though I don't see how it constitutes as one seeing as how a vacation is something you happily plan, and involves leaving the things you are obligated to suffer through daily. If, and that is a very large IF…If I am going to be dragged along, because I love my son and want to appease him. If, I am also to pay for all of this folly…then I'd also like to set some ground rules." Everyone collectively sighed, Emma however, taking the full heat of Regina's Death Glare. Gold, managed to save the crew from their impending doom, by standing up beside The Ex Queen.

"Regina Dear, ground rules may be set…I would expect nothing less from you. I'd just like to add however, that you will most certainly not be paying for this entire trip. As the boys grandfather, I too shall help with expenses. Though I'm not entirely sure why money is becoming a topic at all. You and I both know that we will truly have to pay for very little. Magic comes at a price yes, but it also covers every price we'd ever accrue." Regina was not one to wave money around and gloat. She liked to play in modest and money was a foul word in her vocabulary, only using it to drive points home for her son, that money doesn't grow on trees, and not everyone has the power to enchant it into their pockets. If Gold was starting the magic usage then she would not decline, and spare no "expense" this trip was…on the house, so to speak. "I figure a few bills here and there at the parks, as to not draw too much attention. Room and Board, that's another thing. Charge it to the powers that be." He sat back down. When had this breakfast become a board meeting?

"Sweet so, now that we've decided that Regina and Rumple will be funding the trip via purple smoke…can we talk fancy pillows and princess beds. Because I've seen some of the things Disney can do to a hotel and I'm seriously ready to get my sleep on in one of those luxury suites!" Ruby finished with a huge swig of her orange juice. Belle nudged her in the side and Snow sent her a coy smirk. "What…you know you're all thinkin' the same thing." David and the rest of the men had been rather quite, but all nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I wouldn't mind having a spruced up, version of my Captains quarters." Hook, raised a hook to Ruby's statement.

"I could get on board for a relaxing Resort getaway." Neal chimed in. No one but Hook seemed to give a shit about him speaking though, as they all started to talk over him, and among themselves. Regina and Emma remained quiet. Silently exchanging looks across the table at one another. When Regina had originally approached her for help, Emma had never expected this to be the result. Somehow a crash course in de-depressing Henry, had turned into a fucked up fanfiction version of her typical life. No way could this be real…she must have been slipped something in her morning coffee and had since been playing out some twisted AU of her happy norm. She tried to convey her thoughts telepathically to the ruby lipped woman. Noting that it must have worked as Regina almost cracked what could have been misconstrued as a semi smile. Regina casually placed her fork on the table and hushed the group.

"If this is all really going to happen, may I suggest we leave on Tuesday of this week. We can fly out, and be there late that night. Check into the rooms I will book for us tonight, and then have time to rest up for the next morning's festivities?" Everyone seemed surprised at how nonchalantly and uncharacteristically personable she had just made arrangements for them. Like a real, honest to God human. Snow felt her heart jump a little and the soft almost kindness in her step-mothers voice.

"That sounds perfect Regina. I'd just like to personally take it upon myself to thank you for going along with this little event. I know how much it means to Henry to have the whole Family together."

"With the exception of Him, and Her you mean." Regina said pointing to Hook and Ruby.

"Unnecessary." Hook blurted.

"But, true in your care Mr. Guyliner." Ruby said. "I'm like family, if you consider I've served everyone breakfast every day for the past 30 years…if that ain't family I dunno what is." Snow took a long breath and continued.

"Anyway, not only does it mean a lot to Henry. It also means a lot to me, David too." The still relatively silent man, finally chimed in with a "Yup." And he dove back into his short stack and omelet. Regina took into account where Emma, and subsequently Henry had accumulated their eating abilities. "It's exciting, and I know we're all going to have such an amazing time!" Snow waited a moment. Are you waiting for an applause, or perhaps a cookie? Regina thought to herself. She's not going to sit, until I say something is she?

"Thank you Snow. I'm sure you're right." There, happy now Mama's girl. Snow sat with a self satisfying nod. Barf…Emma thought. She found Regina's patronizing of Snow gross, but endearing at the same time. At least she didn't try to strangle her over the eggs.

Everyone made short work of their meals, Ruby and Belle finishing first, taking off to the kitchen to do dishes. Rumple had moved a few seats over to talk with his son and the guys about…whatever guys talk about over breakfast. Snow and Henry, were wildly gesturing at each other, and speaking feverishly about all the things they wanted to see, and do once they stepped foot into the Land of Happiness, sunshine and rainbows. Emma just slumped backwards in her chair, rubbing her mid section gingerly. Too many helpings Swan…what have I told our-self about eating until you're numb? Regina casually sipped on a cup a piping hot coffee. Watching over the brim as Emma looked like she was considering unbuttoning her jeans, to make room for her expanding stomach. The blonde must have felt eyes watching her as she suddenly sat upright and looked around. Once she'd spotted her stalker she made her way to the assailant.

"Hey." Good start Swan.

"Hey yourself." Alright, we're in business. Emma patted herself on the back.

"So this is all really cool of you. I know the Kid is beside himself with glee. You really nailed it in the way of _asking him what he wants._ So…congrats." Regina didn't know how to respond. Today had been a whirlwind of emotions and new happenings. It was still only just barely 10 o'clock. "I know that planning this whole ordeal is going to be quite a handful, so if you need my help for anything, I mean, anything at all. Just let me know." Another completely out of left field occurrence. Regina was going to have to go to more therapy sessions, because clearly she was starting to hallucinate.

"I'd appreciate the help very much. Thh…thank you." Ow…god that was painful.

Emma's insides swirled. If she had a tail…it would have wagged. She started to open her mouth, to excuse herself from the table, when Regina began to speak to her again.

"I really don't know how I'm going to get through this." She wasn't sure why she decided to confide in Emma. Nor why she had chosen this specific moment to do so, but she was going for it…so whatever. "I mean, I haven't spent more than 15 solid minutes with Henry by himself in like…a month. And now I'm expected to do it with 8 other people around all the time." She took another delicate sip from her mug.

"I'm sure it will be fine Regina. He's going to have so much fun that he'll probably open up to you easily. You will hardly notice the others. I'm sure that they will all be off doing their own thing anyway. They'll all pair up and you and Henry can have time alone together. Plus, at the hotel…"

"What about you?" Emma almost broke her neck, spinning it so rapidly at the statement.

"Me? What about me?"

"Well, if everyone is paired up…that will leave you alone."

"What, no…Ruby's solo. I'll probably end up following her around as she lures helpful unsuspecting men into her wolf claws." She leaned back a little more casually. This conversation was weird, and unusual for them, but nice in its strangeness.

"Oh, yes…I suppose you're right. I…I guess I paired people up differently than you. Either way…you're probably right. Everything will work out. I'm going to go over room arrangements tonight. And decide on which resort is the best option. I don't mind doing it alone…but I suppose a second opinion wouldn't hurt. That is, if you wouldn't mind." She placed her cup down, signaling her finality in both the drink, and her statement.

"…Not at all. I can come back later tonight, after my shift. So, like 8:30ish. That alright?" Regina stood, taking her plate and a few other dishes.

"That sounds fine Em…Miss Swan." Emma caught it, but she just let it go. Things were moving nicely, why pop the bubble. She went around the table behind the former Mayor collecting whatever her counterpart couldn't carry. The women were now all in the kitchen doing their different cleaning jobs. Mary-Margret had roped all the boys into putting away clean dishes, except for Neal, as Henry had stolen him away upstairs to show him something "important" IE. Comics and action figures. This happy little family, all helping out to clean up a meal was enough to make Rumple lose his breakfast, so he politely excused himself and Belle, claiming prior engagements. Belle hugged everyone farewell, Regina declined, claiming her hands were wet and soapy. Shortly after Ruby hitched a ride from Hook, meaning they walked back to Granny's together. Hook needed his mid-morning rum and Ruby was his favorite bartender. The Charmings finished the kitchen off and went to say goodbye to Henry, leaving the two women alone for the second time today.

"Uh, everything looks done in here, and I should really be getting to the station. So, I guess I'll see you in a few hours then." Regina wiped her hands on a dish towel and gestured to the front door. She looked like she was going to say something, pensively wringing her clearly very dry hands in the towel. Her mouth opened and closed, when Mary-Margret, David, Neal and Henry all entered the room.

"Ok, we're off. Thank you for hosting us Regina, we had a lovely time. I look forward to hearing what the three of you come up with tonight." Three of us? Emma thought. In all her wondering about the evening to come, Emma had totally forgotten that her son would be here too. Whoops…sorry Kiddo.

"Yes, I'm sure Henry and Emma will be very insightful." Not sure if dig, or genuine there Reg…Emma again, let another thing Regina said, just roll of her back. She was going to just get used to this being one of the woman's coping mechanisms.

"Emma, would you mind giving Neal a ride back into town? David and I are going to go straight home and start packing." Emma looked mortified at the idea, but Regina didn't notice as she was sending tiny eye sized fireballs directly at Neal's face.

"Sure…"

"Thanks Em. I could use the exercise of a walk, but I kinda have some prepping of my own to get done. And Dad sorta left without me." I wish I could melt you…Not sure why, she was thinking these things about the oaf. She didn't like that he was genetically responsible for her baby…but also she didn't know why him sitting next to Emma, breathing in the same air as her, had her wanting to filet him.

"Bye Gramps, bye Grams." Henry hugged his significantly unwrinkled grandparents. "Bye Dad." He reached up to hug his father, to Regina's disappointment. "See you later Mom." He then lunged forward into his mothers waiting arms. And shockingly Regina didn't feel her usual resentment or uncontrollable rage. She almost felt…good. Her dream from last night, flashing momentarily in her mind, making her have to look away from the two hugging bodies. The four adults exchanged their goodbyes to Regina and made their way out of her home, and into the streets of her town. Go, go away…get in car accidents. In Neal's case, maybe David could clip him with his truck. She closed the door on their exits and turned to face her still giddy son. Upon seeing her face, that giddiness became very recluse.

"You and I, have some unfinished business young man." Henry could have peed. Her wicked witch was showing. He turned comically and ran up the stairs, claiming he just remembered that his teacher asked him to do some summer vacation homework. And that he wanted to get it all done so he wasn't worried about it during their trip. "Mmmmmhmmm, ever the scholar and non-procrastinator you've become in a matter of minutes. This isn't over child!" She shouted up at him. "You forget, I know where you sleep!" She heard his door slam shut, and the walls rattle. "That's right, be afraid. Someone in your wretched gene pool needs to be." She spoke solely to herself and the walls around her. This…was shaping up to be a very long, very interesting summer.

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Welp, there ya have it. I'm off work till Sunday...so chances are you'll get a few more chapters before then. Unless of course I come down with carpal tunnel...or get wrapped up in video games. Both all together possible. I work well with encouragement...if you think i'm fishing for reviews, I am. I like to hear your thoughts, good or bad...critics are always welcome. Keeps me motivated. Anyway. Hope ya'll liked it...except more very soon! G'night!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey guys, sorry it took a while. I picked up some unexpected shifts at work, so I ran out of time to really work on this like I wanted to. I stayed up late trying to get this out for ya. I'm sorry if it's kinda sloppy and a little rushed. I promise to devote more time, and less rushed time to the next chapters. Next chapter will be longer, and DEFINITELY have some Disneyland goodness in it!

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"Regina, I think…I think maybe you've had a little too much of that cider."

Regina was cat clawing her way from one side of the couch, to hovering predatorily over Emma on the other end. Her alcohol laden breathe was snaking its way around Emma's atmosphere. When Emma had agreed to come over this evening, this was not quite what she had had in mind.

"Regin…Whoa, whoa! Hey!" The witch's hands were roaming freely and seemingly all over her at once. It almost felt as if she had 4 or 5 sets of hands, just everywhere on her. Emma was pushing, and fighting back the not-so-sober woman's advances. She placed two firm hands on her shoulders and lifted up the dead weight, just before Regina could land her lipstick smeared mouth on Emma's heated skin.

"Hey…" She looked up into those chocolate orbs, momentarily forgetting why she was so set on stopping this from happening. "I think you may want to cool off for a sec, maybe sit back over there? Or Ummm, I dunno…there." She said pointing to a chair in the farthest corner of the room.

"I am a grown, WOMAN, Emmaaaaa. Don't you think I know what I want?" The sentence purred from her vocal cords and rumbled in Emma's ears. Again Regina's millions of hands were entangling her!

"Regina, no please…common, wait Henry is just right up…theerrr…oh wow."

*SMACK*

"Ow FUCK!" Emma found herself lying flat on her face, on the cold linoleum floor of the sheriff's station. Well, cell to be more specific. She'd fallen asleep on the cot just after her lunch, when she'd come to the conclusion that literally nothing was happening that needed her sheriffing today. Somehow, she'd managed to tangle herself up in the shitty cotton sheets and apparently…proceeded to fall, hence her current floor eating position.

She laid there on the hard ground for a few extra minutes allowing the natural cooling of the laminate to calm her speeding heart.

_Well that was a different kinda dream wasn't it Swan. Not gonna look into that one too much more, beeeeecause the ol' brain isn't quite up for that kinda puzzle right now. Maybe later we give it a good think, over some snacks, or like a nice shower…_

She pushed herself to her feet, deciding it best to just completely ignore that subconscious mishap. Wasn't her first awkward sexy dream, in fact it wasn't her first even this week. Two nights ago it was Christian Bale and Ben Affleck both dressed in varying Batman suites…her, uncomfortably sandwiched between the unforgiving plastic of their Bat gear. She didn't choose to think too much on that one either…and about a month ago she had a really inappropriate one staring Homer Simpson. So, this little Regina thing, she was just going to file away in the "What the Eff" folder.

Looking at her cell phone she was happy to note that she'd killed a good 4 hours of time, sleeping away the day in that 6' by 10' space, and now only had about another hour to go before she could make her way to the Mansion.

She set in at her computer to check a few emails before clocking out for the day. Maybe she could even check out a little early. With the way things were going for her favorite villain today she presumed that Regina probably wouldn't even notice.

The remaining hour of her shift crept to a close faster than she'd imagined. She began to grab her essential belongings when her cell phone chimed with a buzzing pulse. It was a text message.

-I would appreciate it if perhaps you could acquire us something from Granny's for dinner? I haven't the energy after the debacle this morning, and as easy as it would be for me to simply create something out of thin air…I feel this whole thing is slightly your fault.

Before she could start to type in a response, a follow up message appeared.

-You Owe Me!

_Ooooooof course it is…_

-You got it. Anything specific?

-Henry wants Cheese fries…I do not. A salad perhaps, with fruit.

-Apples ok?

-Obviously Miss Swan.

-Sorta cliche don't you think?

-Just bring it, I don't have the energy to banter with you via text today.

-As you wish.

With that, Emma swept her wavy to the side and headed for the streets. She'd called in her order to Ruby ahead of time to avoid being late. She knew how aggressive Regina could be when she was on time. She didn't really want today to be the day she that she found out what she was like when she was late…and when the former Queen was "Hangry".

/For those of you that don't know what Hangry means. It's a combination of Hungry and Angry. The mood you enter while so hungry it makes you angry./

Ruby was standing seductively at the counter as always, her high heels lifting her to ungodly heights. One leg was crooked at the knee, her upper body leaning delicately on the bar watching with voyeur like eyes.

"Hey there Em. Gotchyur dinner right here."

Ruby took a half-assed side glance to the large to-go bag.

"I know you can eat, but this much seems a tad excessive, even for you. Plus the salad is really throwing me off. I've never once seen you order anything green. So, who's you're hot date…and which one of those guys chose salad? Or did you get it too look more demure?"

Emma scoffed and grabbed the bag. Placing the money in its place.

"Pfft…yeah right. I got the double burger. The rest is for the kid and Regina. I volunteered to help her with the hotel preppin."

Ruby's eye got the tiniest bit wider, and her lips faded into a barely visible smirk.

"oh ya did, did you? I'm sure that was a hard conclusion to come to. Sure she really had to twist your arm. Rip you a new one, Maybe threaten you a little. Did she hold you down and try to force feed you more cursed turnovers?"

Ruby began to chuckle heartily, catching the eyes of the other patrons of the diner. Granny included.

"Ruby, stop pestering the guests and make yourself more useful."

She handed the girl two oversized bags of garbage and cocked her head to the door.

"Go on now girl. These bags won't throw themselves out, and the customers won't take their own orders."

Ruby smiled at Emma as she started to walk in the direction of the back exit.

"Have fun tonight killer. Go get em!"

Emma shook her head at Ruby's unrelenting antics.

"Mmmhmm, even if I did have ulterior motives with the tyrant, don't you think I'd come up with a better plan that Hotel hunting? Especially since Henry's going to be there. Kids are not really "Date Night" friendly."

As Ruby pushed the door open, she lingered in the frame.

"I'm sorry sheriff, but all I heard from that sentence is that you're not considering "tonight" a date night. But I never heard you say you were in opposition of having one."

She winked at Emma and exited to the dumpsters.

"I'm sorry Emma if Ruby over stepped. The girl has little to no sense about personal boundaries. I'm sure whoever it is you're planning to meet will be plenty thrilled you got them some of Storybooke's finest cuisine."

"Thanks Granny. I'm sure they'll both love it."

_Both?_ Granny thought. _ Hmmm, well it's none of my business what she does with her sex life. I had several partners at once…so who am I to judge._

The old woman didn't let on to her thoughts, and she smiled a sweet granny smile and sent the younger woman on her way. Extra napkins because she knew how messy Emma could get.

A handful of minutes later and Emma was parked on the curb just outside the main gate of the mansion. Henry must have heard her noisy engine, as he opened the door the moment she pulled up, and had since made his way to the passenger door.

"Emma! I can't wait…Hurry hurry get inside!"

"I'm comin Kid, just gimme a sec to get all this food situated."

"Food! You got food! Awesome, from Granny's! Did you get me cheese fries? I really want some cheese fries."

Emma placed the meal containers on the hood of her car and she opened the top Styrofoam box.

"You mean something like this?

Henry leaned in and stiffed lovingly at the contents.

"Ok, you're allowed to enter than. Welcome!"

Emma must have missed when her son had become a comedian. She followed behind him up the steps and down the walkway. Regina was standing in the sitting room, on the phone. Emma sent a wave in her direction, Regina put her hand in the air, holding up a single digit, as if signally she'd be done shortly. She guided Henry to the kitchen to plate the meals, but he took a detour up the stairs to his room. Regina wasn't beyond eating out of Styrofoam, but Emma knew she'd earn a couple extra brownie points for making it look restaurant ready. From somewhere behind her Emma heard light footsteps. When she tried to locate the source, she found Regina watching her make herself at home, yet again…in the confines on HER kitchen!

"Thank you for getting this. I've been on the phone almost since you left this morning."

"Why…you don't work on the weekends."

"Of course not Miss Swan, I meant with different hotels trying to procure the best one."

"Well, I say we all eat, and then we can start with the un-pleasantries."

Henry came barreling down the stairs, as if he could hear her announcement of edibles. He grabbed his plate of delicious grease and sat at the table, waiting.

_Just a whirlwind that boy._

Regina thought.

The three of them sat in relative silence at the table. A few exchanges of Disneyland plans, but nothing more serious than that. Regina decided to poof the dirty plates away, herself and Emma meeting in the sitting room.

"Isn't Henry going to join us?

Emma asked when it had been about 10 minutes since he'd left.

"No, actually, he said he would he would rather be surprised with the location we choose. Have you looked into any of the resorts on your own yet? Or would you like me to show you what I've gone over so far?"

"Just show me what you've come up with and we can go from there."

Regina nodded and retrieved her laptop from behind the sofa. Emma was seated on the couch from her earlier dream. She hadn't given it much thought since her initial reaction to the event, but now that she was in the offending living room she'd taken in some rather uncanny similarities. Like Regina's outfit for intense…Dream Regina and waking Regina shared the same taste in attire. Coincidence? Emma got as comfortable as she could manage in her spot. She tried to look as natural and unfazed by her realizations as possible. Regina sauntered across the floor and elegantly placed herself beside Emma, making sure to leave the appropriate amount of space between them, so as not to be seated completely in her companies lap.

"I've narrowed it down to a few options for either of the three Disney affiliated hotels. They all seem acceptable to me, but I'd like your opinion. I'll also point out my preferences when we get to them."

Emma knew that when Regina said she'd "point them out" in girl world, that meant; "you better agree and pick the same thing I want…or we're going to have a problem."

"That sounds great. Go ahead."

The blonde pulled her feet up under her posterior and let herself sink more into the cushions, accidentally grazing her knee with her counterparts thigh. If Regina had noticed the inadvertent contact, she didn't make a move to acknowledge it. Regina pulled up a bookmark labeled "Misery Loves…More Misery". When she clicked the link, several adjacent tabs popped up alongside.

"This one, is the Grand Californian. As far as I can see it's considered the most luxurious of the bunch. It's got a rustic "wildernessy" feel about it, and it offers a spa. If we book this one I know I'll be taking full advantage of its amenities."

She showed Emma several suites and then pin pointed her two top choices. She also showed her a handful of smaller rooms in case they'd rather each have their own separate hotel rooms instead of sharing one larger space. Emma couldn't quite tell why it was she was leaning towards a shared, communal habitat…but she just went with it.

"I think it might be more convenient to have us all in a central location. It will be easier for us to all meet up and plan things. Ya know, none of the hassle of calling a slew of rooms and waiting for everyone to reconvene elsewhere."

"That's fine. Perfectly legitimate an argument. Perhaps we could place your Mother and Father in a separate suite all on their own."

She caught herself coming off as singling the duo out, and how it could be misconstrued as hatred…which in reality it was. But she had to put some sort of positive spin on it for the more delicate woman next to her.

"I mean, for privacy purposes of course. I'm sure they'd rather have their own than share with the entire gaggle."

Emma just shrugged in silent agreement.

"Whatever, I don't think they'd care either way."

Regina continued to click through photos of each hotel and their offered rooms. It wasn't long before the two had come up with a unanimous decision. They'd be staying at the Disneyland Hotel, located at the far end of the Downtown Disney District. It didn't have its own entrance to the park, but upon further inspection they'd discovered that once checked into any of the three Disney sponsored resorts you get a key card that grants access to ALL the hotels and their benefits. Also the card would act as a credit card inside the hotels and parks, which Regina found very convenient. She could let Henry spend what he wanted on said card and not have to entrust the boy to money manage with actual currency. He had a rather irritating tendency to "misplace" money. Or rather, let it fall from his pockets. If he happened to do the same with the card it was relatively useless to anyone trying to use it as well as easily replaced. Regina considered she'd probably have the same dilemma with Emma. The women decided to hold a Sunday meeting with the rest of the gang to go over the final arrangements and prepare a departure time. Regina had completely booked the rooms, as well as plane tickets and rental cars. Now all she needed to do was pack herself and her son, and make sure that the rest of the dimwitted cast could manage themselves long enough to make it aboard the plane. But, she figured if some of the less punctual couldn't manage, well that was one less person to push off the Mark Twain boat ride in weighted life vests.

Several awkward moments of silence passed between Emma and her more poised partner before she gathered enough of her wits to speak.

"So…now that everything is all set…"

Regina didn't let her finish.

"Would you care for a drink Miss Swan?"

Uh oh…more coincidences.

"Ummm, do you have beer?"

"Would a glass of the worlds' best cider suffice?"

_Shit…_

"Yeah…y..yes. That sounds perfect."

Regina disappeared, only to reappear seconds later, two peculiarly large goblet-like glasses in her hands. Regina's dark plum painted nails gripped around the glass had gently caressed the tender skin on the sides of Emma's hands and they exchanged the cup.

"Shall we toast?"

Emma chanced at sarcasm, she knew it was one of Regina's favorite things so she took a gamble. Much to her appreciation Regina noticeably smiled, unlike she had all day. It could be categorized as a relenting sort. One the read, _I have given into my fate. Might as well make the best of it._

"To what shall we toast?"

"Tooooo…family?"

Emma knew she sounded a bit wary. But it paid off either way as Regina let loose the most genuine laugh she'd ever heard from her once enemy.

"Oh, you cannot be serious. Hahahaha, that is just priceless. Emma, sometimes you're cleverness is forgotten. You can be quite hilarious when you want to be dear girl."

What...had happened? Did she break Regina? The cold woman's laughter was becoming contagious as Emma let out her own smaller, mostly nervous giggle.

"Heh, yeah. I'm a riot."

"How about, we toast to something more believable shall we?"

Regina stated after she'd finally been able to catch her breath between guffaws.

"To sacrifice."

Emma looked on suspiciously.

"Not in the way of a blood sacrifice you dolt. I mean of course, in the way of me..sacrificing my happiness and sanity, for Henry's."

Emma's left eyebrow raised on its own volition.

"To sacrifices, and new starts."

Regina didn't argue, she raised her glass and made an addendum.

"New beginnings."

With that they clinked glasses and drank heartily. The hours of the night wore on with the two trading laughs and stories. Regina spoke candidly of young Snow, and her days spent in the enchanted forest. She recounted tales of her people and her misguided ax on said people. Emma didn't judge, or interfere in the stories. She took them in, and reveled in the chance to really get to know her queen, and her side of why and how things had happened the way they had. Emma spoke openly about her youth and her days in Boston before Henry showed up. Regina found her heart strings pulling tightly at several of the things Emma had shared. for one because they were so awful, and potentially damaging that she couldn't believe that somehow such a strong woman could stand before her today. As well as she found that much of what Emma said had hurt, because it struck so close to home. Maybe it was the effects of the booze, or the waning hours, but she couldn't help feeling drawn to and closer to this woman. Her heart was doing that weird fluttering thing again. She wanted to scoot herself closer to Emma, for reasons she wanted to skirt off as "Warmth" but she knew better. She also knew that these damn butterflies in her gut needed to be stabbed and locked away to suffer for their sins against her. How dare they betray her fragile trust, by making her feel things she's most certainly NEVER, EVER agreed to feel. Especially for the infuriating product of the Charming's seed.

Time continued to pass and her eyes grew heavy. Before she knew it they were sealed shut and she was drifting. When she woke up several short breaths later…or so she thought, her glass had been placed safely on the table. Her shoes removed and left by the wayside. And her once shivering body, wrapped somewhat lovingly in a dark blue throw. Emma had crept out in the shadows. Tomorrow she'd thank her. Or maybe she wouldn't…not really in her nature. But she'd think it. Until then she'd just stay where she was left. Another long horrid day was to sprout in a few unrelenting hours…might as well get the rest she needed while it was still an option.

As she blissfully faded to sleep, images of an untamed Emma flooded her conscience. The taller woman covering Regina in the shawl, leaving a kiss on her wearisome brow. She fell asleep happy…which for Regina was something that rarely…if ever happened.

* * *

There it is. Again, i'm suuuuuper sorry if this chapter was kinda...idk bleh. I could hardly keep my eyes open for the last few paragraphs. Ugh...never again will I write after a shift like today! Anyway. Keep reading and reviewing and I'll keep up the posts. 3


	6. Chapter 6

I'm sorry, I lied...I want to keep with the pace and get out chapters quickly so I didn't quite get to the Disney bits, I got carried away with my rambling again. Tomorrow I don't work till the late afternoon and I have the whole house to myself. Disneyland and Bad ass rental cars, rollin up in style will happen! Cross my heart and hope to die! In the meantime...enjoy some sassy Regina handing Hook and Neal their asses on a platter!

* * *

Daylight arrived abruptly. Its rays of morning beamed in through the slits in the window shades, assaulting Regina's eyes. She flung her arms up over her head to shield her face. Emitting an almost hissing noise, one might attribute to a vampire struck by sunlight. The number on her phone told her that she had just a little over an hour and a half to get herself and Henry up and moving for the meeting of the mindless at Granny's. Emma had taken the lead on informing everyone where to meet and when, all she had to do was show up. She didn't think that was fair…couldn't she Facetime herself there? Or just have Henry relay everything that was said later? She begrudgingly rolled herself off the comfort of her couch and to her feet.

…_Time to wake the sleeping prince. _

She climbed the stairs as slowly as possible. Even her own legs knew better than to rush themselves to her doom. If they worked against her Regina was likely to cut them off for their deceit.

When she finally arrived at Henry's door she opened it slowly to avoid the awful, wood tearing from wood sound, that always seemed to happen when she was blissfully unconscious. Like a crazed mob barreling down the hall, wielding a chopped down tree trunk, slamming it into the fragile board. Her slow turn of the knob didn't jar Henry in the least. He was lying above his comforter, super heroes and plastic weapons surrounding him like Gulliver and the little people. She gathered the painted people and placed them on his dresser, to make room for herself to sit near him. Before she decided to wake her handsome child from his slumber, she just looked. Taking him in and basking in his beautiful innocence. Regina had never found solace in anything the way she did this tiny human. She could remember the first time she'd met him. The one time in her life she honestly could say she believed in love at first sight. The way his chubby little fingers had gripped at her own. The way they'd later tangled themselves in her hair and left sticky apple sauce residue in the knots. She'd never loved anything as deeply and purely as she did this boy. Every little sound he made, every tantrum he threw, every hurtful word he hocked at her…filled her soul with endless devotion and warmth. No matter his deeds, this love was unconditional and unyielding. He would forever hold the key to her happiness, and she would forever be his, until the day she left this earth. Sitting here now breathing in all that was her saving grace she could feel her eyes begin to sting with unshed tears. As much as she wanted to slaughter him for putting her in this dreadful predicament, she admitted to herself that she would have put herself through far worse if he so much as jokingly suggested it. Yes, if Henry had told her to jump off a cliff…she would have done so with her arms wide open conceding to her fate. Henry must have sensed her presence as he slowly shook the sleep from his body. His eyes squinting open, blinking to focus on his mother.

"Good morning my love, did you sleep well?"

Henry gave her the most adorable sleep ridden grin. He knew by her words, that he'd managed to escape her previous threats unscathed.

"Yup…like a rock! Did you and Emma get everything figured out last night? I tried to stay awake until you were done, but I ran out of bad guys to take down."

"Oh, well that will happen. Unless they happen to be wicked enough to keep resurrecting."

The two shared a knowing giggle.

"So what's the plan?"

"Your mother and I came up with the arrangements, and we're all going to meet this morning for breakfast at Granny's to give the others the rundown. If you'd like to come along you may want to get up and shower now, we're supposed to be there in about an hour."

With that he hopped up off the bed and started to shed himself of his Spiderman Pj's. He ran out of the room in his Green Lantern undies and Regina's only alert of his whereabouts was the slam of the bathroom door, and the instant running of water.

_I didn't need a hug or anything, that's fine. If only he gave getting ready for school as much gusto I might not have been late to work a good 75% of the time this last year. _

With a sigh and a pat to her thighs, she too headed off in the direction of her en suite to rinse off the events of the day before.

The hot water poured down over her tired body. Scalding off the negative feelings she was bringing to life thinking about next week. Regina let the soap drip from her skin, resting her head on the cool tiles of her generously sized shower. So many things were spinning in her mind. From the amount of time she'd have to spend with Snow, to the inevitable conversing she'd have to do with everyone else. Inescapable due to time, close quarters and human decency. The last thought she allowed herself to think before rinsing the shampoo from her hair, was that all of these events would take place with Emma Swan…and she couldn't wrap herself around the fact that she didn't actually mind the idea of that. What was happening? How had she gone from complete and utter loathing, indifference, to something akin to almost…caring for the girl. She didn't remember taking any drugs recently, and that was the only solution Regina could muster as to the origin of these sudden affectionate thoughts. She magically dried her hair and towel dried the rest of her. She shucked off the damp cloth and stared at herself in the mirror momentarily. Appreciating her own curves. She tilted her head as if admiring a Di Vinci painting.

_Not too shabby. _

She started to pose, and talk to herself.

"Would you fuck me? I'd fuck me."

Sometimes she like to amuse herself…other times she sort of worried herself instead.

_Whatever, if I can't turn myself on…then what's the point._

She turned to have her back face the full length looking glass and ran a hand down her backside. _Firm_ she mused. She then found herself picture Emma's hand doing the same. And immediately felt a slight pang of nausea.

_Not sure if genuine disgust, or that confusing feeling of puke when you're just too turned on. _

She poofed herself a quick outfit, not encouraging her untrustworthy brain the leniency of initiating anymore awful thoughts.

_What's gotten into you woman? Stop lusting after your enemies, it's bad form!_

As if he'd heard her thoughts Henry pushed his way into her room, if he'd done so any sooner he would have been scarred for life.

"I'm good to go Mom, you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be I suppose. Go get in the car, I'll be right down."

She handed him her keys and took one last finishing look in the mirror. Grabbed her bag and steadied her nerves.

_Let's do this!_

A few red lights and an even number of stop signs later, Regina pulled her car into her designated parking spot, in front of the diner. Just one of a multitude of perks left from having once reigned supreme in this quiet mountain town. Once at the heavy glass door, she took into account the other cars surrounding the building, looks like yet again she was late to her own breakfast soiree. Inside she immediately found the "family", they had pushed tables together, creating one crude larger table.

_Such an upstanding establishment, well lit, well kempt…well occupied._

Regina likened it to a Round Table Pizza at the moment. Or at least she would, had she ever actually set foot in one. A rather outrageous thought, given that had she stepped across the town lines more than the occasional few times she had…a noxious place such as that would not have been her first stop. Or even her tenth. Granny's wasn't far from it however, she considered. The same rambunctious followers, food placated children, often times running freely and disgustingly unmanaged by their somber parental units. Much of the old ways had been lost once her curse was cast. She didn't understand why exactly manners and parenting skills were the first of which to go. Regina had another thing coming, as all of the aforementioned traits were very much alive and well within the confines of her future destination.

Mary-Margret was the first to bear witness the entrance of her erstwhile Queen. Of course Regina had drawn her unrelenting optimistic gaze. Sensing the older woman's lack of interest Mary-Margret said hello to Henry instead and led the pair to their table.

Once everyone had been seated, Emma finally noticed the newest to join. She tilted her head in a greeting. Regina did the same and began her speech as to just get it over and done with so as that she might indulge herself in something to eat before the day was up.

"Good morning everyone."

…_off to a good start. Very cordial…keep it up and you may avoid genocide this go around._

"Miss…Emma, and I have completed all the necessary steps to set this trip in motion. I've procured us all rooms for the next week, as well as plane tickets and rental cars. We decided it would be best to keep the majority of us all in the same general location to avoid long wait periods and to generally just be able to keep in touch. I for one would have loved to stay at the Grande Californian. It has a very lovely atmosphere about it, but your savior found it more fitting, given our background and origins, to place us in the Disneyland Hotel…because of its themes. In my opinion it's rather a juvenile reason, but ladies…we will be staying in the "Fairy Tale Suite" complete with canopy beds and lavish "princess-like" décor. Gentlemen…if I can even call you lot gentlemen. You shall be boarding in the "Pirates of The Caribbean Suite" I can't imagine why."

Regina stated that last bit with a verbal eye roll.

"Now, David and Snow, I have reserved a separate suite, with no theme…other than your general Disney charm, for you two love birds to have to yourselves. I've assumed that Belle would prefer to share with the women, and Rumple the men…but the room is there for either couple to use however they see fit. Rumple…if of course you have another idea…I really don't care."

Rumple remained quiet and looked to Belle.

"I wouldn't mind the Princess room, a girls trip sounds exciting!"

Rumple just nodded and let the obvious rejection go announced.

"And I wouldn't mind at all a nice mini vacation of our own just the missus and I."

David said placing his arm chivalrously atop his wife's shoulders.

"Then it's decided. Henry, you are free to stay wherever you like, though given the option I think I'm plenty sure on your choice. As far as travel is concerned."

"Hold on a minute there pet. Might I interrupt and possibly suggest that Emma and I bunk together?"

Hook started to stand when Emma sent him the most powerful death glare anyone, including Regina had ever seen. He slunk back into his chair without another word. Neal however, did not seem to get the memo…and decided to speak his mind.

"What about us Em? It could be nice, you me and Henry? All sharing a family suite together, late night dessert by room service and some silly movies on tv?"

Emma's nostrils upturned but she didn't get the chance to give Neal his well deserved tongue lashing as it was Regina that answered for her.

"ENOUGH. It's no longer up for discussion. Emma will be with the rest of us in the Women's Room, if you and Neal would like to go in together and get yourselves a nice little lovers suite then by all means, please…do. Spare the rest of us your sniveling. You can cuddle and watch old Grace Kelly movies while hand feeding each other handfuls of popcorn and ice cream for all I care. If not, I'd thank you kindly to please…Shut Up! If Emma wants to degenerate herself to that level and shack up with either of the two of you, I'm sure she is plenty capable of deciding that on her own, without the two of you holding a pissing completion in front of the rest of us. Now…if you're quite done, I'd like to finish so the rest of us may eat?"

The shamed men bowed their heads and in unison said "yes". Emma, along with everyone else just looked on in awe. Mary-Margret couldn't believe the way Regina had just jumped to Emma's defense like that. Ruby looked as if she was about to High Five her from the opposite side of the table, where Belle and Rumple sat just taking it all in. Henry and Emma on the other hand shared the same look. One fell in love with his mom for sticking up for his other mom for the first time in what he knew as forever, Emma falling into something very unfamiliar and scary.

"Good, now plane tickets will be handed out after we're done here. I over estimated how long it would take to fly across the country. As you know I've never flown before. Our flight is at 7:00am I suggest being at the airport 2 hours early to be safe. We will land at LAX around 9:30am given the time difference. So that being said, those of you who want to go to the park then can, those of you who would like to come with me to the hotel, can do that also. The first day is really up to everyone's own preference. I've held two, six-seater SUV's as well as a smaller sedan, just in case. They'll be waiting for us at the airport to avoid cabs and shuttles. Any questions?"

The 9 others knew very well that Regina was sort of a micromanager, but they'd never experienced it quiet like this before. They kind of liked it, if they were being honest.

"Great…then let's order."

* * *

Tomorrow gentle viewers...Disney...I promise, or you can kill me. Don't really kill me...but you can think about it real hard!

3


	7. Chapter 7

Here it is, sorry it took a bit longer but it's because it's twice as long as all the other chapters. I stayed up all night (literally) to get this out to you guys. 3 cups of coffee and half a pack of smokes later...I hope you like it.

* * *

Somehow they had all managed to arrive at the airport on time, and had all made it through boarding without any upsets or disruptions. Regina wished she could say the same for the flight itself. They'd been delayed on the tarmac for over an hour, and now that they were in the air, the pilot was mulling over a layover in Nebraska. NEBRASKA, what the hell was she going to do with 10 people while waiting for a connecting flight, stuck in an awful airport terminal, too afraid to leave for fear of missing the plane? She prayed…to something, not sure what, but she did. She prayed over her lukewarm airline coffee.

Due to the circumstances, the plane had enabled the in-flight entertainment and she was currently suffering through Henry and Ruby giggling on either side of her to whatever trash they were viewing on the 12 inch consoles. All she could do was sit, and stare at the top portion of the back of Emma's head. She refused to choose a movie from the given titles, mainly because the idea of wearing those uncomfortable looking headphones made her want to personally crash the plane. Of course she'd landed in the center seat, of the center aisle. She would have to remember to con someone out of an outer seat on their connection. Maybe she could fake being pregnant or something? Ahead of her Mary-Margret grabbed the flight attendants attention and requested a neck pillow.

_Ever the little Princess, aren't we Snow?_

She tried to sleep, maybe a quick nap would damped the hatred boiling inside her. She raised her hand to press the "call attendant" button. The light came on, but no one came. So she pressed it again. Giving it a few extra minutes this time, she understood that this was a commercial flight and that they were probably busy with other requests, if only she could use her rank in this instance. Again no one came.

_What the hell…am I suddenly invisible?_

Maybe she had pissed someone off earlier while trying to situate her luggage in the overhead compartment. She insisted on carrying all of her most valuable possessions with her, unlike the rest of those fools, who checked their items. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Also…she'd seen movies with travel scenarios and in every one someone lost a bag and was left with one outfit for their entire trip. She'd be dammed if that ended up being her. Needless to say she could imagine how she may have come across, ranting and raving when her bag wouldn't fit. Denying the assistance from employees, yet requesting that Ruby put her small carry-on somewhere else.

She decided to try a new tactic. She pressed both Henry and Ruby's light, folded her slender arms and waited. Finally it seemed as though one of the women in blue took note of the blinking lights. Halfway down the aisle she must have recognized the frowning woman because she suddenly became very busy with another passenger. Completely rejecting and disrespecting Regina. Ruby and Henry weren't helping in the least as they both looked completely enamored with their programs, she must have noticed Regina's gaze and caught on to her little ploy. When finished with the other guest she made her way back to the huddle of other employees and began to chat, stealing glances Regina's way and chuckling candidly with her coworkers. All of them were looking her way and smirking. Regina huffed in disgust and kicked the seat in front of her.

Emma felt a harsh nudge to her back and turned to catch the assailant in the act. Her eyes met Regina's and instantly all her rage drained from her body.

"You okay back there?"

Regina's lower lip began to pout, unbeknownst to the brunette. Her deep brown eyes projected the most defeated, almost watery stare. The sultry woman's perfectly manicured eyebrows knit in the saddest little face. Emma had seen Regina sad, several times…all revolving around Henry, but this was different, and it melted her.

"That woman up there, in the god awful get-up is completely ignoring my light!"

She had a stern sound, but her face told the truth.

_Why do you always have to look so gorgeous? And why am I just now noticing that I've always thought that?_

"What do I do?"

_God she sounds so small. Ahhhh Stop! You're not allowed to have cutsie feelings for girls EM…especially when they are the super evil that stole your life! Wahh but look at her! She's like a sad little puppy, with perpetual bitch face!_

"Well she's obviously just a bitch."

Regina pulled her shoulders in and up, and giggled the tiniest giggle in the world. Emma likened it to one of those anime girls. apparently being 1,000's of feet up in the air turned Regina from Overbearing ruler, to infinitesimal little girl.

"Obviously."

"Here, I'll turn my light on and wave my arms around a bit, maybe get her to stop being an asshole. What did you need from her anyway?"

"I just wanted one of those pillow things like your mother got. Apparently you need to emote hearts and stars from your eyes to get anything in this tin can with wings."

Emma ignored Regina's spitefulness and accepted it for what it was.

"You got it Babe."

_Uhhhh…the fuck did I just say. Dammit, dammit, dammit. Idiot!_

Regina flipped…inwardly of course. She retained her composed exterior.

_Oh My…did she just? No…couldn't have. What?_

Henry had been secretly listening to the exchange between his two favorite women. The thought had never really crossed his mind before, up until about a week ago…and so far…things were going according to plan.

Seconds after Emma's light ignited the same rude woman made her way to Emma's aisle.

"How may I help you Ma'am?"

"Hey, actually I don't really need anything. Unless ya got some cheeseburgers or something back there. My friend behind me however has been tryin to get your attention for a while now. I think she want to try to sleep, think maybe you could grab a pillow for her, and like a blanket? One of those little eye shieldy deals and a couple a ear plugs. She really has a hard time relaxing on flights."

Emma leaned in towards the woman who looked put off. Sensing that this chick wasn't picking up on the seriousness of the situation Emma had to take it up a notch.

"Her parents both died in a plane crash when she was a kid, so this flight's really got her rattled. I don't want to see her suffer through anymore stress. I guess she's been completely ignored by the staff…ya know she's got a lot of pull with the airlines since the accident, I'd hate to see her put up a stink over the service. Don't want anyone to lose their jobs, hear what I'm sayin?"

The woman's eyes bugged and she looked to Regina.

"Yes, of course. I'm so sorry, I don't know why we didn't see your light earlier. I'll have to ask maintenance to look at it once we land. I'll be right back with your things. Anything else I can get you while I'm at it Miss?"

Regina loved it when they groveled.

"No, that will be all. Thank you Dear."

Behind the woman she caught Emma's blue eyes, a smile lurking in them, and a proud sneaky smile on her luscious lips.

_I could definitely get used to this, partners in crime thing._

The stewardess scurried quickly on her 2 inch heels, when she reached the curtain she started to speak in hushed tones to the same few workers from before. All of them changing their expressions, to shock and regret.

"Good one right? You poor thing, the product of tragedy. All you needed was a little attention."

"Hahaha that was something to witness I will admit. I'm impressed. Thank you Emma."

She couldn't play ungrateful and indifferent this time. It just didn't feel right somehow. Seconds later the girl, and a clearly very effeminate man appeared carrying her requested items and a glass of wine for each of the women, as well as a few far more appetizing snacks.

"Here you are ma'am, again we're both so incredibly sorry for both, your inconvenience and loss. Please don't hesitate to call if you need anything further. Myself and Ryan are at your complete disposal."

They almost bowed as they left. Regina was feeling regal once again. And Emma was cracking up at the whole exchange, not at all trying to hide it. The two conspirators clinked their glasses together, and drank up. They'd gathered a few on lookers, their party included, no one saying much of anything, just silent curiosity.

* * *

Regina slept through the remainder of the flight…which was only a little over an hour. Then it was through customs and to the waiting. Thankfully they didn't have to collect their checked luggage, it was going to be in California before they were at this point. David and Rumple went to find out some information on when the flight from Nebraska to LAX would happen.

"Mom, Mom…can I go to the food court? Ruby, Hook, Belle and Dad are gonna go?"

Regina flicked her wrist.

"Sure, just try to find something not completely made of sugar?"

Emma's ears perked at the mention of sugar and she ran off to catch up with the others. Regina was left…with Snow.

"I hope the delay isn't too long. Did you want to go get a coffee or something to eat while we wait?"

Regina…was going to puke. Nothing in the way she was standing gave off any vibe that said, "Hey, I'm open to chit chatting."

_Find security, tell them there is a suspicious woman roaming around. You believe she's an escaped mental patient. You saw her trying to talk to the stuffed woodland creatures. Help, she's frightening! No…that would just further delay our good time…_

She sighed and looked around the space.

"Sure, Starbucks?"

Mary-Margret's cheeks flushed and she bore her pearly whites.

"That sounds lovely."

Snow led the way, Regina making mocking faces in her wake. Regina took the liberty of placing their orders and they stood at an arms width apart, awaiting the calling of their names.

"Regina, Grande Iced Coffee with Soy and light ice?"

She grabbed her cup and politely waited with Snow. This whole graciousness thing would more likely than not cause an aneurysm before the day was done.

" Snow White…"

The barista stated unsure.

"Caramel Frap, no whip?"

Snow's jaw fell to the ground, she should have known Regina wouldn't do something without a hint of enmity. Either way she wasn't going to call her out on it. Mary-Margret always or at least mostly, took the high road. With her step-mother it always seemed like such a steep unyielding road.

"Shall we sit?"

Snow extended an arm to several vacant tables. Regina answered by taking the table furthest from the crowd of anxious airport patrons. For the first several minutes they sat, speech free, across from one another. Shockingly Regina was the first to break the oath of silence.

"So, are you excited to be enlightened to the ways of Disney?"

"Oh yes! Ever since the curse…"

She paused on the word, they both knew it had happened and who had done it but it was still a reasonably tender topic.

"Once, "IT" was broken and I connected what I knew of my Passed Life, with what I'd learned of my current one, I became very curious to see what the rest of the world thought of us. Characters…it's such a strange feeling to have. People actually believe we are simple fiction. It kind of makes you think…what else do we believe to be just stories, when in reality they're very much fact?"

_Oh what have I done? Walked myself into a full blown assault of dialogue from this ninny. _

"It is isn't it?"

_Short, sweet and to the point. You can sip your syrup water in silence now._

"Aren't you curious to see what they've re-imaged You into? I don't know if you've seen any of the films. Or even Googled yourself, but I have…and it's very, well…one sided."

Regina completely missed the empathy, and was stuck on the term Googled. It had a whole other meaning to her and her stomach was finding it hard to grasp coming from the mawkish woman.

"No, I have not. Henry has shown me one or two photos of what THEY have painted me as, yes. But I've not done any real looking into it. Up until this little venture, I really didn't want to know. Why would I? They don't know my story. They only know what's been relayed. And from what I understand there is always a hero and a villain. Those of us that don't distinctly fall under the more glorified category get clumped into the other. Why try to understand a fable that the teller themselves don't even comprehend?"

Snow felt almost sorry for her step-mother. It was true, none of what she had read fully expressed Regina's side. Or any of the other so-called villains. They were misrepresented and classified as evil, to make the bitter pill that is life feel a little more black and white and easier to swallow. People of this realm didn't understand grey, but as she thought on it more, neither did her former realm either.

"Well, it should be a rather interesting trip for you. I know that these people don't know the stories the way we do. How could they? But does it really matter? We're learning to move on, I know that the past is the past now Regina. And I also know, that you are not that wicked witch they've written you to be. Not any longer."

Regina wanted to be nice, for a change in character. Something about hearing this from Snow White infuriated her in ways she thought all too familiar. Always so forgiving, always making her feel like a wretch for everything she's ever done. Why did SHE always have to be the one to be forgiven? Why couldn't she be the one to move on, forgive and forget.

"It's not really for you to decide is it? They'll never know what happens once the original story ends. Happily Ever After is always going to be the ending. Why dig up dead tales to redeem the antagonist? Maybe one day, but it doesn't look likely. People need a Villain to know what a hero looks like, otherwise their moral is lost."

Snow's eyes began to water. Not entirely because of the topic, but for the first time in many long decades she saw the woman who saved her from that horse. And all she wanted to do was reach out, and love her.

"Regina…I"

They were interrupted by Charming and Rumple sitting at the table beside them.

"Well the schedule says it's going to be at least two hours until we board. I guess we can do some shopping. We ran into the others, they all seem pretty preoccupied wandering around. Hey, Snow? Are you okay? You look like you're going to cry!"

David put an arm around his small wife who was still staring into Regina's eyes longingly.

"Snow?"

"What? Oh, yes I'm fine…I think it's just some dust."

She shook of the words she wished she could have said. The moment not being lost on Rumple, but he chose this moment not to pry as he normally would have reveled in. It would seem everyone was having a change of character. Being away from Storybrooke was doing something to all of them.

The foursome managed to carry on a surprisingly normal conversation, Rumple and David ordering themselves drinks and small sandwiches to hold them all over for a while.

Meanwhile…the younger bunch had been running rampant in the shops and wreaking havoc. Well, not really, but they were pretending they were. They'd all bought sunglasses with "Nebraska Native" written on the side. Henry had conned a t-shirt purchase out of his father, and a pop gun out of his mother. They hadn't even arrived at Disneyland yet and already the boy was racking in the swag. It definitely paid off to have not two, but 3 guilt ridden parents and 3 grandparents that desperately wanted to win him over. The kid had it made…being the youngest of the group certainly had its perks. Even the adults that weren't technically part of the family were victims to his cuteness. Ruby got them each a huge bag of candy to take on the next plane; he figured it was less for him and more for her. But that the offer had been made because Belle had been within ear shot. Henry was a very intuitive young man, and if Ruby wouldn't admit her obvious crush on the demure girl he'd use it to his advantage whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Hook and Neal were leading the pack, feeling very smug walking around with three gorgeous women in tow. Henry was helpful too, nothing helped with wooing women that having other women around and a cute kid to seal the deal.

"Hey, you want a bite?"

Ruby tipped a bag of gummy bears in Belle's direction.

"Oh, thank you Ruby."

Belle dipped a milky white hand into the package. She kept perfect eye contact with the wolf the whole way down, letting her hand linger a while as if searching for just the right bear. They'd created a very close friendship over the last year, but Belle was still very much naive to Ruby's blatant adoration and less than subtle flirtation. The only deterrent from her taking the little looks and touches further was Belle's significant other. Normally she wouldn't have let that be any sort of issue, but Rumple was not a man you wanted on opposing sides. Not again anyway. Ruby watched in delight as Belle brought the red colored teddy up to her pink lips. She almost fainted as an equally amaranth tongue peeked out from between her teeth. The blood rushed to her face and she had to look away, but the gravitational pull of Belle's sex appeal wasn't allowing such an action. She needed to do something before she popped right there in the middle of the Lincoln Airport.

"Uhhh look, Arcade games!"

Belle looked confused and then when the rest of the group followed Ruby's lead she brushed it off and followed along.

* * *

Time came for them to board and Regina managed to finagle an aisle seat. She planted herself firmly and refused to swap, even when Neal tried to convince her he needed to sit there because he needed to talk to Emma about "Something".

_Nope, MY SPOT, sorry not sorry bucko. _

Neal slunk away back to his only other option which was next to Hook, Belle and his father. He felt as though this was going to be a reoccurring grouping.

_I guess Hook is my partner this week._

Ruby, Henry, David and Mary-Margret were in the center aisle, perfectly happy to sit together and share snack foods and have a group viewing of some nonsensical comedy Henry had chosen. Emma and Regina scoring one of the few two seat deep sections, ensuring that the remainder of their sky high journey would be the least amount of annoying. Funny how things work out sometimes.

The captain come on over the intercom and gave a rundown on the trip to California.

"Hello folks. My name is Captain Mike, and I'll be flying you to LAX today. We're expecting mostly clear skies, but fair warning we will be flying over Colorado and they've been having some sporadic storms, so we could end up experiencing some turbulence. But never you worry, I've been flying for the better part of 20 years, so I promise to get you there safe and sound. Alright, sit back and relax and enjoy the view!"

Regina didn't like the idea of turbulence; she knew she'd be worrying about it the rest of the way. No one else seemed rattled by the possibility and that set her more on edge than if they had. Thank the stars they offered booze on this flight. She waited for the flight attendance (now dressed in red) to make their way up the aisle. She found them the hard way when the beverage cart was harshly pushed into her protruding elbows. As she rubbed the pain from her joint, she realized now why no one but Neal had put up a stink when she asked for that seat. She grabbed to flight sized bottles of vodka and downed them to make the time pass.

"So, you uh wanna watch a movie or something? Or are you planning to just get zonked and pass out till we land?"

Emma asked her.

"I don't really feel like dulling my senses with anything the plane has to offer in the way of cinema, and no, I don't plan of getting "zonked"."

"Cards?"

"What about them?"

"Do you want to play cards?"

"Umm."

"I bought cards at the Lincoln. Figured I could do something more constructive with my time. So, how bout it? Challenge me to a game? You seem like a War kinda gal? Unless you'd feel more comfortable playing Old Maid"

"I'm not entirely certain why I'm not hitting you for either of those suggestions right now."

Emma gave her an award winning grin and proceeded to lower her tray and shift her body to face her opponent as much as she could.

"Well?"

Regina huffed.

"War…now deal."

"We're gonna play Poker next, if I win."

"And if I win?"

"Old Maid."

Regina weakly punched Emma in the arm and scrunched her face.

"Gin Rummy."

"You got it Your Majesty."

After about 20 minutes of back and forth battling, Emma had beaten Regina. Poker it was, and Regina was tempted to try and slit Emma's throat with her jacks. She hated to lose.

"Sorry, bets a bet. You wanna be dealer?"

"Don't be smug. I'll squash you."

"Mhmmm, just look at your hand."

In the middle of their tenth hand a sudden jerk of the plane sent Regina's cards falling to the floor. She immediately looked in Henry's direction without hesitation. She found the boy asleep, his head resting on a snoozing Ruby. His grandmother looked at Regina with a reassuring expression. It didn't do anything to placate her worries. Another jolt and the plane started to steadily rattle. Regina's pulse began to rapidly quake. Her hands were trembling and her mind was racing. Was this turbulence? How was the plane not being torn apart? She was too young to die! Emma had jinxed them when she made up the altruistic lie about her phony parents.

Emma could see the terror written all over Regina's typically placid demeanor.

"Hey."

Emma put her cards down and used the hand to still Regina's shaking limbs.

"It's okay. This is normal. We're gonna be fine."

She wanted to believe the savior, but Emma had no power over whether or not this heap of scrap metal sent them plummeting to their deaths. Emma witnessed the complete lack of effect her reassuring words had on Regina. So she took it a step further. She moved her hand from the elder woman's forearm and let it wrap itself atop her hand instead, giving it a humble squeeze.

"I promise, nothing will happen."

She made sure to lock her eyes with those of the fright filled woman beside her. Regina did the same, trying to contain her horror, by getting lost in Emma. She was trying as hard as she could to remain somewhat composed. Though every part of her being wanted to rip away from her body and go anywhere else.

"Just ride with it. Think of it as a car going over speed bumps, or a dirt road. That's all it is…unpaved street."

That comparison struck her and eased her a bit. She focused on her breaths and the soothing ministrations of Emma's thumb on the back of her hand. Before she knew it the plane evened and the shaking stopped. She let go of Emma's hand and smoothed her hair back, letting her head rest against the seats backing.

"See, piece of cake."

"Sorry about that there folks. We should be through the worst of it now, and we're only about an hour out of Los Angeles. Smooth sailing from here on out."

"You heard the man, smooth sailing. How about you just chill out for the rest of the flight, I'll whoop your ass in Poker later."

Regina rolled her eyes and then let them shut completely. Trying to get in a power nap, for once they landed she knew her son would keep her going until late into the night.

* * *

Emma woke to the sound of a bell pinging above her. The "fasten seat belts" sign flashing red.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now arriving at LAX, please buckle your belts and remain seated until the plane comes to a complete stop. I enjoyed our trip together and hope you did as well. For those of you who have never been, Welcome to the great state of California, for those of you who have, Welcome back, and to those of you like myself…Welcome Home! Over and Out."

Emma stole a glance at Regina who was passed the fudge out, to the point where she was sorta drooling. Emma carefully reached over and jarred her awake.

"Hey there Sleeping Beauty, we're landing. Ya gotta buckle up."

"I resent that, I'm a lot more capable than that nitwit."

_Ahhhh there she is, I missed you grumpy cat._

The Scooby Gang gathered up their gear and followed the rest off the plane. They rode the moving sidewalks all the way to baggage claim, as Henry was just too enthralled with them to walk on a floor that didn't move. The more simple minded adults seemed to be pretty enamored too. (Hook and his dim bulb Sidekick boy-wonder)

Surprisingly everyone's bags made it safely with no delay, Charming took the liberty of loading them all on a trolley and wheeling it to the rental car holding. The group made small talk while Regina retrieved the cars, until they heard an all too familiar shouting coming from the window.

"What do you mean you don't know where they are? I specifically placed them on hold to avoid this exact situation. I want you to find them and have them parked outside within the next 10 minutes or I want a direct number to your highest ranking manager, and you sir will happily never have to "Deal" with my again, because you will no longer have a job to speak of."

Regina fumed.

"Looks like Ol' Queenie didn't need long to make an appearance."

Ruby mused openly.

"Well, what are you waiting for you bungling idiot, GO!"

Snow wasn't one to intentionally make people feel like shit, but she had to give credit where credit was due. Regina could make things happen without hesitation. She got the job done, and she knew more words and phrases to call someone incompetent than anyone else in all the lands combined. It was a natural talent. The group all pretended not to have witnessed the outburst, though to be fair they were pretty certain that the entire office had seen the display. Regina clomped back to the pack aggressively.

"It would seem as though "Someone" has given away our cars."

"What? How, I thought you put them on hold!"

Neal was the brave soul who spoke first. Regina however, completely ignored him as usual. The only way she'd get through this pilgrimage without burying him in the ground was to disregard his existence entirely.

"They're looking for an alternative now. It shouldn't be much of a wait, seeing as I made myself very clear that I have no time for milling about."

Rumple found Regina's stately posture and roguish demeanor impressive. He'd raised a creditable pupil.

Within moments a terrified looking young man ran up to the towering woman with 4 sets of keys.

"Hee….re you go Ma'am, they threw in an extra for the inconvenience."

"Thank you, which ones are they?"

They lanky boy pointed to a row of all black cars. Ruby, Hook, Neal and Emma instantly started to salivate uncontrollably like a pack of rabid wolves. Lined up like playboy bunnies for a photo shoot, were; two black on black 2014 Lincoln MKX's sitting powerfully shimmering in the sunlight, beside them, a black on black 2014 Cadillac CTS Sedan, and the crown jewel (or so Regina thought) a black on black Mercedes S65 AMG Luxury Sports Sedan. Okay, so maybe she'd used a little magic to get the sort of transport that a Queen required, but even she had to admit the thrilling feeling she got not only upon seeing the cars, but upon seeing the looks everyone in the building got looking at them.

"Oh holy mother..."

Neal could feel his knees giving out, he was a bit of a gear head and this was giving him massive overload.

"Can I drive one, anyone I don't care which?"

"I personally don't care who drives them, we're all listed as drivers. Except Hook, just because you can steer a boat, doesn't mean you can drive a car."

"Awwww what? It can't be that much of a difference!"

"Naw, it really is Mate."

Emma said in a mocking tone.

"Either way, you can all fight over driving rights. This one however…is Mine."

She made her way over to the Mercedes seductively. Regina would have brought her own with her if it had been an option, but this model was like her baby had gotten a feather lift and collagen injections. She was lusting slightly. She ran her hands along it's lengthy curves, as if familiarizing herself with a long lost lover. She tossed the remaining keys in the direction of her cohorts and let them duke it out.

"Henry Darling, would you like to ride with me to the hotel?"

"Sure Ma. We're gonna go to the park right after right?"

"Whatever you'd like honey, this is your trip."

He bounced with glee and tossed his bags insipidly in the trunk. Neal had won rights to one of the SUVs, as did Charming. Emma had won a rock paper scissors match against Ruby for the Cadi. She did a happy dance which sent Ruby into a tiny riot.

The caravan took off in the direction of the Disneyland Hotel, it was quite a sight to behold. A barricade of black making its way through Los Angeles traffic.

Inside the lead car Regina and Henry talked opening.

"Are you excited Dear?"

"Oh yeah! There is so much I can't wait to do!"

"Well, don't rush it love, you've got plenty of time to do everything, there's no need to overdo it in the first day."

"I know, I know. But there are just so many cool things I gotta get to!"

Regina laughed with ease.

"Well a week is a long time, I'm sure you'll get it all accomplished. What do you want to do first?"

"Honestly?"

"Well of course…"

"I kinda want to ride the Dumbo ride…"

_Oh my God, I couldn't be more head over heels for this boy! Every day a new surprise, how did I manage to raise the cutest kid in the world!_

"Oh, well then…that's just what we shall do. First thing, we're boarding a flying Elephant."

She ran a motherly hand through his messy hair and he couldn't help but smile. She never judged him when he wanted to be small. She almost relished the opportunity to be his Mommy again. Too many years were lost because of the curse, and her fearfulness of losing him to everyone else. It was nice to have a few opportunities to get his childhood back, and for her to get her little boy back all to herself.

Forty minutes later they were all parked and making their way to the concierge desk. Unfortunately their rooms wouldn't be ready until 5 which left them with just over an hour to kill.

"Okay, so we have a couple options. We can all go to the park and explore together, we can go to the park and split up, or we can roam the resort…or we can all just break off and do our own thing. What does everyone think?"

It was Charming who initiated the question. Rumple spoke up first.

"I think we should do whatever Henry wants to do."

The little boy lit up like a candle.

"I want all of us to ride the Dumbo ride!"

They all collectively chuckled at his frenzy.

"Dumbo it is then."

Belle clapped her hands together and they marched in a group. So far Regina didn't want to murder anyone. It had only been the first few minutes and she had yet to come down from her motor head high.

They all made it through the lines and turnstiles without delay. Only Hook receiving any strange side glances. He looked rather odd a man wearing the amount of black leather that he did on a hot Anaheim day. He'd regret his choices sooner, than later. Upon passing the gates the group was greeted by a cast member wielding a large camera.

"Would you like a family photo to remember the magic with?"

Rumple didn't know how to respond or why He of all of them had been approached.

"Yes, that sounds...good."

The young man smiled comically large and tried to usher the troop into a well groomed huddle. Regina took in the background of the photo. A miniature train station, and an over-sized floral version of the mascot himself.

"Alright everyone, Say Cheeeeeeese!"

Mary-Margret, Henry, Neal and Belle were the only ones to comply. The rest just giving their best camera ready grins. Rumple was handed a card and told he could take it and purchase prints at the end of their day, or anytime after. Regina grabbed a map and located the Dumbo ride.

"Here Henry, how about you take charge of the map…and we will follow your lead."

He galloped with glee. He was certainly in his element.

"Hook, you be my co-captain, and help me read the map yeah?"

Hook was now giddy as well, finally feeling like he was being included in this little venture. Emma instantly started to notice random characters popping up in sections of the park. So far none of them were people she'd brought along with her. She knew the moment one of them were to spot their Disney Selves things would get interesting. The boys had led them passed The teacups and Alice's ride, so far nothing significant had been spotted that would shell shock the team. They made it to the Elephant ride and waited in the short line. Traffic at the park was surprisingly low today, and for the Emma was eternally grateful.

"Moms, will the you two sit with me?"

Emma and Regina exchanged looks of question between each other, unsure of how to handle the request. Neal had overhead the inquiry and couldn't help but feel nicked. He wanted his son to want his mothers, both of them, but at the same time he just felt a little left out and regected.

"Of course kid, if that's what you want."

Snow didn't know what Henry was getting at, she knew it wasn't wise to press the women to act chummy, but she had to admit a significant decline in their usual rigidness. She didn't have high hopes for it to last though, she knew better. Hook and Ruby were the first to board the pachyderm. Belle and Rumple took a yellow one, Charming and Snow a blue, Neal and…himself chose a red, and Regina, Henry and Emma squeezed into a purple Elephant buckling themselves snugly in the seat.

The amusement started up and they lifted up off the ground. Henry was wielding the lever that caused them to move vertically. He chortled in unabashed frivolity. Everyone was enjoying the ride, as none of them other than Neal and Emma had ever experienced anything like it before. Neal looked plainly miserable, aside from seeing the sheer exuberance on his young sons face, he hated everything about this.

Regina soaked in the moment. This was a memory she wanted to savor and hold onto. Her son was the happiest she'd ever seen him, and having these morons along with them was not hindering her positive mood at all…for now.

Emma stole a quick glimpse at the chestnut haired elephant rider. She captured a mental image of her son, and his mother sharing something spectacular in the moment. She found it really hard to hate this person right now, she wanted to, because that was an easier emotion. The ride ended and landed them back in reality, which taking into consideration where they were, wasn't really that harsh a place to be. Henry quickly maneuvered them through the lines of both the Alice in Wonderland ride and The Teacups, everyone but Henry and Ruby deciding never again to ride those horrible cups of doom. Everyone felt like they were going to be sick.

Regina took over once more letting everyone know that the rooms should be ready now, and they should probably head over and settle in before they went back out for a late dinner. The all agreed and followed their pint-sized captain to the exit. As they made their way through Fantasyland, Emma's greatest fear became a paramount problem. There, standing before the decuple, in all her Technicolor glory…was Snow White, and not of the Mary-Margret variety. Emma watched as both her mother, and her sons mother simultaneously noticed the poor costumed girl.

_Ooooooooh fuuuuuuuck. Shit just got real._

* * *

Yay for chapter 7. Gave ya'll a little taste of what's to follow in chapter 8. Bout to get some much needed sleep and when I wake back up I'll start in on the next installment. Sorry if none of you enjoyed my little car ramble...I'm a bit of an enthusiast and want to give everyone something to enjoy. This story is shaping up to be rather long, given that I have a slew of things I want these guys to do, and a bunch of trouble I want them to have to work their way out of...so saddle up guys you're all in this with me now!

Till next time, goodnight...or good morning, whatever 3


	8. Chapter 8

Hey guys, so here is just a little something to tide you over. I picked up extra shifts at work and had a lot less time to update this week than I thought. Also...I've got most of the "BIG" story plots all lined up and I pretty much know what I want the outcome and the big turning points and junk to be...but as far as the trip inside the parks...that's all for you guys, so I need some feed back. What rides do you want them to get on, what shows, or other such Disney Jazz should the gang get into? I'm open to plot ideas and situations and stuff also sooooo shoot, I'm all ears. Give me your worst! But preferably your best!

* * *

Mary-Margret Blanchard couldn't believe her eyes. She knew that sooner or later during this endeavor she would be forced to come vis-à-vis with her cartooned equivalent. But now, here in the light of day, in the center of everyone she wasn't certain she could manage the calamity. How does one approach a person…or character rather, that isn't a genuine being, but rather a pretentious candy-coated version of her lesser qualities. Mary-Margret fairly judged others with understanding and good-heartedness but this poor misrepresentation of who she had once been began to flare up a quiet rage inside her. She, without warning, felt several of the character attributes that Regina had imposed upon her being, and less of the naturally spritely few that had built this fairytale creatures essence before her.

_I…I want to end her…I would never be caught dead in that garb. Where's my bow?_

"Heh, Look grams, there you are!" Henry the sweet thing he was didn't even consider that his gentle Snow White wouldn't rejoice in the chance to catch sight of 'herself'

"Why yes, there 'I' am…" It came out in more of a grumble than a statement.

"Hey, ya wanna go meet her?" Emma chanced a joke in Regina's direction hoping to extinguish anything that could be burning beneath the surface, not even taking into account the evident fuming of her own mother. Regina seemed to snap out of some form of trance at the sound of Emma's voice.

"Hah! I most certainly do not. Today I have more important things to accomplish than to make light conversation with a storybook character. Might I suggest we keep moving, and save the triviality of this wondrous place until maybe…day two? I'm certain everyone feels tired and jet lagged"

Everyone lingered uncomfortably around the two women, waiting for either one to make a definitive move in any direction. Ruby noticed Snow's shift in demeanor and put a friendly supportive arm around her BFTF (best fairy tale friend)'s shoulders.

"Hey there pal." She rubbed small circles into the shorter woman's back when she remained locked on her upsetting target. "Hey…" She leaned into Snow's ear, "You're way more bad ass than that. Remember the battles, and the robbery…That just a fanciful brand of you. What do we care who they think we are right? We know!"

Snow broke the laser beam glare and smiled again, in her usual way.

"You're right. Regina's right too. We've all had a pretty long day. Let's all head back to the rooms and relax a while. I know I for one am riveting at the thought of what our suites have in store. I'm sure they will be far more exciting than meeting cast members."

The group, aside from Regina who was now looking around pensively to see if her costumed self was lurking in any shadows, smiled and agreed with the matron of the bunch.

Snow took her daughters hand and spoke directly to her.

"Not to mention, if I'm going to see myself I want to look a lot more Snow White "Wanted for Treason", than Snow White "Just landed from a 10 hour cluster fuck of emotion and layovers"…Just saying."

Emma exploded with laughter, she hadn't heard her mother speak in such a manner since she still believed she was nothing more than an elementary school teacher and home wrecker. The platoon took their leave, and followed behind their adolescent leader once more, their only detour occurred when he spotted the famous mouse standing in the center of Main Street U.S.A. He needed to take a minute to gather his feelings, and then they were off. Henry was raring to meet the mouse (he knew it was just a person in costume, just like he knew the truth about Santa Clause…but Henry's life was full of fiction becoming fact so he took the splendor of meeting his idols no matter what their state of existence may be.) but he also was very aware that the adults in his flock were ready to be done. They weren't as young, and in his short life he'd already made these people follow him all over the map, and off it…so now it was his turn to give back in a small way. By allowing them to sleep, and unwind in grown up comfort.

* * *

The gang went off to find their rooms, dispersing from Snow and Charming when they reached their exit. The rest of the men decided to follow the girls to help them with their luggage and get settled. Somewhere down a long corridor they found the women's room number and Regina let Henry use the key card in the door. Immediately upon opening they realized one very important dilemma. One bed…

"Uhhh, What…? Regina, how is this supposed to work?" Ruby wasn't one for pleasantries when it came to her sleeping arrangements.

"Yeah, I don't think we're all going to fit, and I don't suppose we're all meant to cuddle…" Emma stated, but kind of thought that over and let her inner pervert flutter around freely in her brain for a second.

"I don't know what happened. When we were researching, the website didn't say anything about a single bed…or did it?"

When Emma and her had been going over everything she admitted to herself that things were sort of scattered. Her mind had been reeling, and not really focused on the subject at hand. Perhaps they'd simply scanned over the number of accommodated occupants. Belle stepped in to stifle the worried Queen's thoughts.

"Regina, it looks absolutely lovely. I think that you should stay in this suite, so you have a quiet place that you can escape to when you need a break. Ruby, myself and Emma can go back down to the lobby and get ourselves another room. It shouldn't be an issue."

"Or, a better Idea...Belle you can stay with Rumple, Ruby you can stay with Neal and Emma, you can stay with me. It's perfect! This is just serendipity." Hook chimed in with a lecherous wink in the blondes direction. Henry had already taken up exploring and hadn't even noticed the very evident problem unfurling before his parents.

"Why do you get Emma? Nothing against you Rubes, I just think that I would be a better option for Emma, seeing as we already have history." He looked Hook square in the eyes and added…"And a son!"

Hook seemed unfazed and gave him a half-hearted shrug in return.

"How about Emma gets to choose where she sleeps." The sheriff grunted. "And I think I'd prefer to share with Ruby and Belle. At least with them I don't have to worry about petty cat fights breaking out over where I lay my head."

Neal and Hook shared the same deflated face.

"Belle…does that go for you as well." A hopeful gleamed lit behind Rumples sad eyes.

"I think it would be best if I just stayed with the girls. Your suite will be crowded enough as it is. We don't need to add to the chaos. Henry I'm sure would have more fun with the guys, being guys."

Ruby cut her off by adding in, "And us girls can sit around, painting our nails, trading make up secrets and talking about all of you Boys."

Belle jutted her in the side with a coy little smile and a blush.

"Oh, of course. Yes that makes sense." Rumple now made up the third of popped ego faces.

Regina threw her suitcase on the canopy bed in a huff.

"Alright, whatever you think is best. I can't believe we didn't even look at bed numbers. If you get to your Pirate suite and have the same issue, please just take care of it. I can't deal with much more drama today." The color from her usually olive complexion faded. Her eyes dulled and her body collapsed as she too made her way to flop on the bed beside her discarded items.

The rest of the group taking the gesture as a sign to depart.

"Okay, let's take off and get this all fixed up." Emma went to find Henry and led him from the room. "Henry hug your mom, we're gonna go find your room. Is it okay if we leave our stuff with you for now while we go get our room?"

Regina just waved a hand in acceptance, the other draped over her eyes to show disinterest. They filed out and headed the way of their next stop.

They boys room was significantly larger than Regina's. Complete with kitchenette and dining room table. The first thing the adults did while Henry ran around in curiosity, was to count the beds. One king size in to the master space where Rumple left his gear. Ruby felt a little ashamed at having left her "boyfriend" flying solo in this gorgeous room, but not guilty enough to change her mind. Two smaller beds were placed in an equally large room for the other men.

"Looks like we're roommates…mate."

Neal just smiled politely at Hooks comment.

"Looks like."

"See, you guys don't need us, you have each other." Emma smiled at her own smugness. She turned on her heels and looked for where her son would sleep. There wasn't a third room and there was no fourth bed in sight.

"Crap…it happened again."

Ruby was the one to solve the mystery.

"Naw, you're good. Back at granny's we have these too. Watch…"

She made her way to one of the couches in the living room area. She started to toss cushions around revealing a pullout bed.

"Oh, awesome. Henry!" She shouted.

The boy popped out from behind a random door.

"Yup?"

"You're gonna sleep here in the living room. That cool?"

"Of course, I get the biggest room! Aaaaand the biggest TV for my playstation. It's PERFECT!" He sing songed that last bit.

"Cool, so we're going to go take care of our bed bumble now…you guys good up here? Or do you need us to get you anything?"

Neal looked like he was about to speak but Emma didn't let him take the liberty.

"Right, well we're off. See you guys at dinner."

Belle placed a gentle peck on Rumple's cheek and bid him farewell. Everyone could read the signs and could cut the awkward with a spoon, no knife was needed for this salty situation. It was clear as day that all was NOT right in paradise. Ruby making note of it more than everyone else.

Once back in the lobby Emma took the lead and asked the desk clerk for a fourth rental. Luckily there was a few left. They grabbed a two bedroom suite with three beds and a pull out couch, just in case Henry wanted to swap back and forth at all during the week. They took the long hike back to Regina's to collect their things.

* * *

Emma knocked on Regina's door, and waited. Nothing…

Another knock…Still nothing. _Hmmmm? Okay_…

She used one of their original keys to unlock the offending door, she carefully pushed it open and leaned her head in through the crack. What she was met with made her laugh without warning. She motioned for the other two to silently come look. Inside the room Regina had her bag on the floor, wide open and clothes strewn around, crudely hanging out the sides. Her heels had been discarded also, in what seemed like had been a wild shake loose and foot hock across the room. Her former business casual attire lay messily at the foot of the bed, a now pajama short clad leg lying atop her now wrinkled pencil skirt. The other pulled up to one side resting on her button up blouse. Regina's arms sprawled just as lazily as her legs with her now 'un-quaffed' hair tangled around her head. She snored quietly as the girls tried to stifle their giggles.

"Guess she really was beat." Ruby said between snorts.

"Poor dear." Belle squeaked.

Emma didn't say anything, she just walked in and retrieved their bags as quietly as possible. Once they were all out in the hall, she turned back around heading back inside. The duo behind her looking confused. Ruby stole a look to see what Emma had gone back for. What she saw was so out of the ordinary she didn't know what to think about it.

Emma had broke loose a decorative blanket from beneath Regina's legs and proceeded to cover the royals sleeping figure thoughtfully. Unknown to Ruby, Belle had been watching too, and placed a hand on the wolf girls shoulder, causing her to turn. Belle put a dramatic hand over her heart giving Ruby one of those "OMG hooooow Cuuuuuuuuute" girly looks. Ruby shook her head and rolled her eyes. When Emma reappeared, closing the heavy door behind her she saw her roommates looking 'overly innocent.'

"What?"

"Huh? Nothing…you ready?" Ruby answered.

"Yeah, common…I think ours is just a hallway down."

She led them down the hall, the two women in tow glancing at each other knowingly. Something was definitely up with their two favorite rivals. Probably wouldn't be calling them that for long.

Their room was equally beautiful. They sat their things on their assigned beds and turned on the TV, all sharing Emma larger bed to watch together until dinner time made its way around.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the hotel. Charming and his charming little bride had found their room to be perfectly acceptable. They'd already proceeded to take a cleansing shower, washing off the events of the earlier part of the day. Using the large bath to their advantage, having much needed 'alone time'. But since this is gross and no one needs the visual, we leave the rest of their shower festivities to the imagination…for Snow would have it no other way…"PORN".

* * *

Regina was still crashed out, Henry had fallen asleep while shortly after rummaging through everything in the room. Hook and Neal passed out after unpacking their things. Rumple was still awake reading through all the materials that had been given to them upon check in. Charming and Snow we're napping together in their towels. And Emma, Ruby and Belle and all conked out in the middle of a Real Housewives of Atlanta episode, their tired bodies becoming a tangled mess on Emma's bed. Had any one of the boys been witness to the display, they probably would have suffered from sensory overload. Ruby's arms unceremoniously wrapped around Belle's shoulders, the shorter brunette breathing hot air onto her human pillows jaw, causing her to occasionally shift her neck in sleep. Emma lay sprawled across the foot of the bed atop both women's feet.

An alarm that had been set on everyone's separate phones sounded simultaneously throughout the hotel rooms, sending all 10 people to jolt awake and, stretch out of their uncomfortable positions. All except Regina of course, who woke up like a gentle lamb. She lightly switched the alarm off with a yawn, and called, everyone to make sure they'd be awake and ready to have dinner in an hour.

The family met in the lobby, all sleepy eyed with rumbling tummies.

"Any ideas on where we'd like to go?" Regina asked her congregation. No one seemed in the mood to make the final decision, all turning to Henry once more for affirmation.

"Me? Oh…okay. We should go to the Storytellers Café, at the Grand Californian! You can dine with the characters!"

That piece of information made the adults collectively sigh.

_Oh great…_

They reluctantly exited the resort and followed Rumple (who had a map) to the Californian. Once inside The women all looked on in 'Awe' it was stunning! Not that theirs wasn't, this one just looked more…high end and ritzy.

"Can we maybe go look around the building before we head into the restaurant?" Regina asked. She'd seen photos but that only made her want to witness it for herself more. The high ceilings were inspirational and the low lighting made her feel at home. She made a mental check list of all it's incredible qualities, and why, if her son ever dragged her out to California again, she'd be booking a room here without second thought. She noticed Emma taking in her surroundings and becoming just as engulfed in the wonders of this place.

"Can we go now…it's just a hotel, I'm hungry!" Henry obviously not as intrigued by the craftsmanship. But then again he was only just a boy, and what little boy could honestly say he gave a shit about this sort of stuff.

The Storytellers Café was amazing all in itself. Again, high ceilings and attention to detail here and there that gave Regina butterflies at how beautiful and well done this was. She'd enjoy the opportunity to shake the hands of the people involved in its imagining.

They were seated, and then given their plates to go make their way to the buffet to attain their meals.

_A buffet…how elegant._

Regina thought. _Oh well…that's exactly the way most meals should be done when it comes to these guys. _

The men had bigger eyes than stomachs as they created tiny replicas of Mount Everest on their dishes. Stacking one (or more) of everything on the plate. As they proceeded to dine Emma made cautious note that the only characters she'd seen were furry costumed critters, no impending threat of them coming in contact with their counterparts this time. She relaxed in her seat in relief. Neal however feeling the exact opposite of relief, as he discovered an unacknowledged fear, the closer the critters came, the more his heart threatened mild cardiac arrest. Apparently he had a phobia of giant fuzzy things.

The first to approach the large table was one of the Chipmunks. His big bright red nose poking it's way into the mix. He gestured his oversize paws wildly at the group. Hugging Henry first and ruffling his hair. Henry giggled hysterically with unrestrained frivolity. Regina snapped a few photos of the duo, smiling at her sons antics. She'd never seen him like this before, she was starting to understand why parents did things like this with their offspring. Emma was sitting next to Henry at the table, which meant that she was the chipmunks next target. He patted her locks and leaned in for a big hug. She obliged and was engulfed by the creature. Regina sneaked a photo seeing as no one was paying any mind to her with the fluffy distraction. *Burst Mode* she thought. The animal made its way around the table, attacking everyone until he came to Neal, who fearfully allowed the beast to tackle him in an embrace. Regina, and everyone else become very aware of his dread as he shook without ease and made worrying whimpers. Rumple made a scrunched face in disgust at this grown sons childish reaction. Emma mimicking his unappealing revelation, Hook cackling to her right.

"This is priceless." Regina yelped. She snapped an onslaught of pictures. "Rumple, I'll have to make you blown up copies of your sons first visit and encounter. You'll want to look back fondly on this precious occasion.

"Oh lord." Rumple puffed.

Neal just continued to quake until he was released. Dale made his way to his final destination, Regina. He leaned in to hug the uptight woman as his large costumed arm collided with her water cup, causing it to tip and spill its contents all over her lap. She bleated in shock, ice soaking through her thing jeans. The character put his arms up over his eyes to show regret. Regina standing to shake free of the cold and loose ice blocks.

"Perfect!" Emma said as she now was the one to snap a picture of the scene. A few others sneakily following suit. When could they say 'This' would ever happen again.

The Chipmunk sulked away in shame bringing over a member of the wait staff to help out. Regina handled it better than expected, as she told the attendant it was 'quite alright' and 'thank you, no problem'. The rest of the meal went along rather uneventful, aside from a few more character visits, photos and Neal cowering in terror. They discussed what time they wanted to meet tomorrow to go to the park, and if they wanted to do breakfast inside, or outside Disneyland grounds. After making it back to their own hotel, a few of the grownups wanted to take advantage of the resorts bar. Those who didn't said their good nights and departed.

Rumple took Henry up to their room and excused himself from the late night festivities. Regina doing the same, but not before encouraging the drunkards not to get too sloshed, because she was by no means going to accommodate them tomorrow if they were to give themselves hangovers. Ruby and Hook just shushing her and informing her that they could handle their libations. Emma, Ruby, Belle, Hook and Neal ordered their drinks and found a large enough table to fit the 5 of them comfortably. They joked as the alcohol took hold. Hook teased Belle and Neal on their lack of tolerance, while he and the two other women continued to throw back shots. Belle started to feel the effects of the booze as her body started to act on its own accord. Her speech started to slur and he eyes lulled in her skull. They spoke of the events that would likely take place in the next few days, the likes of Regina encountering Disney Regina also known as Grimhilda…as well as their impending inescapable meeting of the other Snow White, each giving their own interpretation of how that would all play out.

Killian was a little less than respectful with his idea…a soft-core porn being detailed down to the letter, before Emma put a disgusted hand over his mouth to shut him up abruptly. Belle laughed uncontrollably at the scene. Everyone watched as Belle's face turned red from lack of oxygen. Ruby placed a tender hand on Belle's cheek and watched as the usually refrained girl wobbled from upright to almost horizontal in the booth.

"I think I should probably get this one up to bed."

Hook catcalled and Neal sloppily whistled at the statement.

"Oh, yeah you probably should get her up into 'your' bed."

Ruby just sent him a glare and shot him some animosity. He didn't seem to mind and he acted out his fantasies, trying on an imitation of the waitress, doing his best impression of an American accent.

"Oh, you're so drunk Belle. You should probably sleep in my bed so you don't…uh fall out of yours or something." He snickered. "I can hold you close, and tight…with my lady arms so you don't tumble off the bed." He leaned into Emma trying to capture her in his mitts. "Come on…just one kiss. We never have to tell Rumpy." *insert kissy sounds*

Emma pushed his arms off her sending him back into his seat.

"Awww common love, just one little smooch. It can be our little secret!"

Neal was anything but enjoying the display.

"Think imma head up too. Hook, you coming?"

The pirate got the hint and obliged.

"Might as well, looks like nothing more will come of this little endeavor. Besides if I know Henry, and his mother…they'll have us up and going at the hint of sunrise."

The men took their leave, Ruby and Emma following behind with a less than mobile Belle between them.

"I love you guys. You know that. You're just the best. I'm so happy we're all doing this. It's going to be so fun." Her boozy breath, offending the air, as well as stinging both her supporters' nostrils.

"Yeah, it will be so great!" Emma said as if talking to a child.

"I just wish Rumple wasn't such a stick in the mud. He's always got on the grumpy Rumpy face. Like this…"

She pushed her face into a heavy scowl and tried to mimic his voice.

"Grrr, grumble, grumble. I hate fun. What is fun? Sounds gross…I want none of it. None of that awfulness will involve me. YUCK it repulses me. I'll put a curse on the world, removing all fun. Shades gray, and rainclouds for all. Sullen faces, and laborious work for everyone. Mwahahahaha!"

Emma and Ruby traded glances at the comical scene. The entire way up to the suite Belle continued her impersonation. The girls had already decided that they would be taking full advantage of California Adventure's new alcohol allowance, they'd be sure to try and dissuade Belle from partaking. The rest of the night went about rather uneventful, aside from a few groans of discomfort from Belle, and a few trips to the bathroom for Ruby to help hold Belle's hair back as she emptied the contents of her stomach.

* * *

As imagined Regina was up and ready by 6am sharp. She'd already telephoned each room and verbally poked everyone into gear. By 7 she was making her rounds to push everyone into overdrive. The boys were relatively quick and responsive to her warnings, and told them to be downstairs in 10. Mary-Margret and David met her at the elevator on her way up to the girls room, she asked them to also meet her in the lobby, in 10.

As she approached the door which held behind it three very unruly women…she lifted a delicate fist which began its collision course with the wood. Before so much as a knuckle could land its blow, she heard semi stifled shouting.

"Oh my god! Common Ruby get her up!"

The voice, undoubtedly coming from one Miss Emma Swan. It's aggressive pace something that Regina was all too familiar with.

"How…she's like a dead weight. To be honest I wasn't even certain that she wasn't dead a few minutes ago."

"Oh for fucks sake, she didn't even drink that much!"

Regina wanted to be severely pissed off at their lagging and complete disregard for her warning the night before. But listening to the two women struggle was payment enough for their crimes. She pounded on the door and called out to them.

"Good morning ladies! I hope you're all bright eye'd and bushy tailed!"

She laughed at her own anecdotal joke. Ok, ok so having to explain why saying bushy tailed to Ruby, was funny to her…kinda made it not funny. She reached her perfectly manicured hand out to knock a second time when the door flew open. Standing before her was Ruby and Emma, with guilty smiles and a debilitated Belle between them. This looked very "Weekend At Bernie's"

"We're ready." Ruby sing-songed

"Really?" She forced her hand in Belle's direction as if to make her point. "Miss Swan…she's barely conscience! Just leave her here to sleep it off. I'm sure she's not going to mind missing the first day."

Emma and Ruby exchanged glances then surrendered with a shrug.

"She's right, I really don't want to have to cart her around all day, especially if she's not even coherent." The three of them helped to get Belle back in bed and situated. Then they made there was to meet with the rest of their brigade.

After everyone who was alert enough to join in the festivities they headed off once again in the direction of the park. When they reached the queue Henry could hardly seem to contain himself, Mary-Margret suffering from the same problem so of course they were the first of the Storybrookers to make it through the turnstiles. Regina handed the enter attendant her ticket.

"Good Morning Princess."

Regina double took.

"I beg your pardon!"

"I said, good morning Princess! You're looking lovely today."

Regina stepped nose to nose with the elderly gentleman.

"What do you know? Who have you talked to? And I'd thank you to refer to me as You're Majesty. Princess hah! I graduated to Queen long ago."

She stepped through the turnstile, leaving a very confused looking man in her wake. Emma made her way through after just smiling kindly at the man, patting him on the shoulder.

"Good morning Princess." He tried again in a less convincing, less confident way.

"Good morning." She passed back, in her sweetest voice.

The poor guy just looked dazed. Emma shook her head with a chuckle. Only just the beginning of the first day and she's starting off strong! One down, countless other cast members and visitors left to bewilder. Once again the group was approached by a photo taker. Emma was the one to shoo him away and tried to herd the group out of photobombing zone. Emma took her son aside and they followed traffic down Main Street USA.

"Hey kiddo."

"Hey Ma." He put his arm around her lower back as she draped hers around his tiny shoulders.

"Ya having fun yet?" She shook him a bit. "Anything you just absolutely gotta, gotta, gotta, get done today."

"Oh yeah! I NEED to go on Space Mountain, and Star Tours for sure! I want to go on the Buzz Lightyear ride too, and definitely Pirates!"

"So shall we start in Tomorrowland then?"

"Yeaaah! To Tomorrowland Crew!" He shouted and jutted his arm out in the direction of the "futuristic" world!

"What realm is Tomorrowland is Snow asked?"

"That would be the land to the East…" Regina spoke sardonically.

"Oh, I've never been."

Regina rolled her eyes and walked passed the moron.

"Don't let her get to you sweetheart." David started. "I've never be either." Emma had witnessed the exchange, as had Ruby. Emma couldn't quite wrap her mind around her parents sometimes, and Ruby was one of the few that knew of how much it was truly wearing on Emma's nerves.

Neal ran ahead with Henry almost, if not more excited than the small boy for the space themed attractions. Space Mountain was first of the list, because if you were fast enough it was one of the quicker rides to blow through first thing in the morning before the stampedes arrived at the gates. David, was a thrill seeker of sorts. He'd married a criminal/thief for god sake…but the idea of being strapped into some fast moving contraption being flung all over the place made him feel a little weak in the knees, and relatively green in the face.

"I think I might just wait out here with the droids if you don't mind. I dunno if my stomach can handle something like this so early in the morning."

Snow looked at him like she was meeting a stranger for the first time, and one who had something that went completely against her entire belief system.

"What? Are you scared? Seriously? My knight in shining armor…afraid of an amusement park ride?"

"Dad…it's not even a real roller coaster. You're literally, 10 feet off the ground…maybe."

"But it goes fast right?"

"So does a horse Charming, and I've seen you right those."

Snow was becoming more and more put off by her husbands sudden lack of balls.

"Come on gramps, you'll love it!"

"Yeah big guy, can't be all that bad. Trolls and, well Regina I'd think are far worse." Ruby stated bluntly.

"I'd normally take offence to that…but in think in this case I'll accept it as a compliment."

Hook and Neal just looked at him as if sizing up his manhood. Coming from a guy who still called his Dad Papa, and a dude that wore more makeup than his wife Charming couldn't just stand back and take that sort of dissing.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll be fine. My stomachs as strong as my nerves. I got this." He visibly puffed up his chest and gave himself the manly chiseled face that he could muster. Snow swooning on impact.

Emma, Regina and Ruby all rolled their eyes, and Rumple just stood leaning cleverly on his cane enjoying the entire exchange.

_Why do I want to be part of this little impulse family vacation. I should have stayed home. _

"As strong as your nerves huh?" Regina chortled. "So should we locate the barf bags and maybe a security blanket for you?"

"Regina please." It was one thing for her step mother to bash her credibility, it was almost second nature to Snow at this point, defending herself that is. But Charming was different, she knew he wasn't as rough and tumble as he liked to pretend. She was more his Knight and he the fare maiden.

The tiny woman led the pack to the entrance of the ride, holding tightly to her mans hand. Regina making gagging faces behind them. The likes of which Ruby, and Rumple found quite amusing.

They waited shortly in a 3-4 minute line, and then began to board. The countdown began.

The car climbed the dimly lit tunnel, epic music began to slowly pour from the head rest speakers. They clicked up the incline…hearts beating for a litany of reasons.

"5" Henry nearly lost his shit with sheer fucking unabashed exuberance, bouncing in his seat next to his Mayoral mother.

"4" Neal and Hook high fived each other in the row they shared.

"3" Rumple sat calmly, waiting to be done and perhaps he could get his coffee after this space venture.

"2" Ruby sat howling beside Emma, both throwing their fists wildly in the air, awaiting their launch.

"1" Charming screamed a scream that could put even the best scream queens to shame, Snow slowly turned and gave him the look no husband ever wants to see on his wife. "Are you fuckin for real."

Energized techno boomed into their ears. Between Henry's squeals of glee, and David's cries of "help, oh god…we're gonna die"s the ride was a great wake up ride for the start of this journey. Even Rumple must admit that he felt transported to a whole new state of being. The whizzed past solar systems and the Milky Way, the faster speed that picked up, the faster and louder the music played. Regina's make up'd eyes began to water from the wind levels. Her gums got stuck to her pearly white teeth from smiling. Emma and Ruby shouted in happiness and occasionally would trade a few excited obscenities between the boys seated behind them. They turned left, then right, then right again. Up, down twists, turns hills and dips, ins and outs. Fast and Faster until everyone in the car thought that they would surely fly right out of the building and off the track right into outer space itself, and then Brakes…they were done. Regina looked to her uncontrollably giggling boy, he only started to laugh harder when he looked to her and saw the state her face was in. Mascara and eyeliner smeared its way into her hairline. Her lips were tucked up under themselves, her tongue darting out to moisten them and free them from their desert like cage.

"Did you like that baby?" She asked after she regained control of her face again.

He continued to laugh between yes-ing.

"Oh my gosh, that was AWESOME! Can we go again?"

"Hahahaha of course, but how about we do a few things first and then circle back."

He nodded and turned to see his other mom and favorite werewolf behind them.

"MOM, that was so cool! Did you love it?"

"I loved it! So great! Rubes did you love it?"

"FUCK YEAH!"

Regina sent her a spiraling death glare…

"I mean, heck yes! I loved it!"

They made their way off the ride, all of them stoked for the next ride, several trying to persuade their way onto it again right now. Neal and Hook chatted with their fellow fans.

"That first dip, oh man I wasn't expecting it! And then as it got faster! Whoa!"

Even Rumple added in that it was enjoyable. Charming and Snow finally caught up after David's legs turned back into legs and not jello.

"Well, you survived Charming."

He looked up with watery eyes and a tiny voice.

"Yeah…it wasn't so bad."

His eyes lolled in his skull and he looked like he was going to keel over right there…until Henry flung himself on the man.

"Come on Ol' Man! Let's do it again!"

Everyone looked to him with waiting eyes…with a relenting sigh…

"Uhhhh, okay. One more time." They slipped through the turn styles and waited for their second go. Charming' charming stomach churning the whole wait.

* * *

That's it for now, hope to hear some ideas of what you wanna see soon, and I'll get on writing the next chapter. Again...sorry about the wait :/


	9. Authors Note

Hey everyone, so sorry that it's been so long. This isn't a chapter just an official in sorry for the wait, and don't worry I haven't forgotten or given up...I've just been working non-stop. I have a couple days off coming up...so hopefully I'll have an update out for you shortly! Thanks for hanging in there!


	10. Chapter 9

Hey guys, sorry it took forever...but here it Chapter 9. I hope you guys like it...and please feedback with ideas and whatever you want to see makes it's way into the story. Stayed up all night again to get this one finished and I might do that same again to night if I get some inspiration...we'll see. Anyway, enjoy :)

* * *

Mary Margret decided that her husband could use with a bit of a breather after their second venture on Space Mountain. She thought that perhaps shoveling some salty butter soaked carbs on top of the bagel he'd consumed prior to the jostle from the coaster, may help to stifle the vomit that was threatening a second coming of said bagel.

Rumple, chose to tag alone. He found it the perfect opportunity to acquire his long awaited coffee. Being a solo member on this leg of the trip, lead him to being the third wheel in everyone else's party. Not exactly something he was looking forward to. He knew coffee was always something that drew him out of his darkness and into the lighter parts of his mind. It's hot form would burn its way down his throat and make him feel something other than his own feelings of worthlessness. Ever since the return home from Neverland, Belle had been different. Different how, he couldn't quite put his finger on. So a nice hot cup of smoldering bitter drink was just what the crocodile needed to hush his inner turmoil.

The others used this time to enter the queue for Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters. They made idle chatter while moving slowly, one family at a time. Midway through their wait Buzz himself made an appearance. Henry wanted to spring from the roped cage he was in, and rush to one of his childhood heroes.

"Hey kid look." Emma pointed to the people ahead of them.

"He's making his way to everyone in line; you'll get your shot. No need to bust outta here and miss our turn." She said running a motherly hand through her sons hair.

"Plus, take a look at Hook. All that leather he's liable to keel over from heat stroke if we leave him waiting in this sun any longer. I mean check out the way his mascara is already running!" Henry snorted, and Hook gave Emma a very un-amused glare. Ruby ran a finger under one of the pirates' eyes and held it up to show the black stains left behind.

"Hah! Finally physical evidence! Where in the world did you manage to find yourself Rimmel London in the Enchanted Forest?" Hook scoffed at Ruby.

"Its layers of manly dirt, packed on over time. Not make up you tart." He tried to stand a little taller.

"So, what you're saying then, is that you would prefer to admit you haven't washed your face in at least several decades…instead of owning up to your man-scara addiction?" Regina was fully enjoying taunting the metro man. He certainly did not feel the same and sent her an equally spiteful snarl.

"Whatever…can we just wait in peace?" Regina just cocked a coy brow and shrugged her shoulders. Henry stayed planted eagerly awaiting his chance at an encounter, not being even slightly amused with the adults bickering and snarking. He could barely keep himself contained, each step closer, he rattled more with happy anxiety. His father however, shifted uncomfortably on his terrified feet, trying to duck behind Ruby and Hook.

Buzz made his way over to the boy, striking a heroic pose to which Henry mimicked perfectly. He stuck his tiny chin up high into the air clenching his teeth to create the illusion of a Jay Leno jaw line. Regina laughed at her sons' adorable behavior, snapping as many pictures as her iPhone would allow. She kicked herself for not getting her camera ready while they had been waiting, instead having regrettably used the time to poke fun at the captain. Henry and the spaceman posed for several shots before he moved down the line. Emma and Ruby were next to being approached. Buzz flexed his plastic muscles and the women each grabbed hold to either arm pretending to swoon for Regina's lens. She snapped photos of the comedic duo and their champion of both Space, and the Toy Box. Hook wanted his picture taken, but couldn't get himself close enough due to Neal pulling him against his front, using the taller man as a human shield. Buzz finally passed on to the next group, releasing Neal from his fear coma. The line began to pick up, and soon they found themselves next. Henry grabbed his fathers' arm and dragged him onto the moving sidewalk. Hook motioned for Emma to join him on the next car, but Ruby intercepted noticing Emma's obvious disinterest, wrangling Hook into the seat beside her. Emma gave her a wink as a thank you for taking one for the team. However, Emma's relief was short lived as she quickly realized who would be occupying the seat to her left.

_This seems to keep happening._

Regina scooted her body in next to the blonde, a vindictive grin covering her face. The buggy began to move and the women grabbed hold of their weapons, preparing for the vicious battle about to take place.

"You Savior are going down!" Emma gulped comically and tightened her grip around the plastic laser gun.

"I think it will be you who is the one to go down, My Queen." Regina's heart beat quickened and her skin turned to lava.

Her internal dialogue completely shut off and left her in limbo, circling around Emma's words.

Emma smirked, a dubious little smirk and held her gun up as if readying herself to hunt down a perp. She was completely aware of the rapid pulsing of that sexy vein in Regina's neck. Something about making her poised Queen nervously squirm sent Emma into a very happy place.

The first flashing target appeared and Emma turned the wheel of the cart to face it. Regina was still slightly bewildered by the comment aimed at her, and didn't notice the game begin. Emma fired off a round of lasers, causing her gun to light up as well as the target. The sounds of Disney gunfire jolted Regina from her stupor; she too took up her gun and fired off several rounds of laser beams. Emma spun the car in every which way, taking aim at every target she could see. Regina had a look of determination, occasionally flinging her arms over Emma to hit targets over and over, racking up points while simultaneously blocking Emma's aim. The action continued as the ride followed along the tracks, Emma trying her hardest to spin their spaceship in a way that would only allow her to take the high value targets, leaving Regina with little to no action on her side. Regina threw her hands up and physically said "fuck it". She tossed her entire body as far as the lap bar would allow, and smashed Emma's personal bubble to smithereens. The royals' gun extended the full length of its cable as she sent a barrage of laser bullets at every bulls-eye in reach. A full assault of trigger rage was taking place right before Emma's face. Suddenly the idea of losing to Regina became a side notion, when she realized that the regal sweater puppies were resting entirely on her upper thighs. Her shooting finger stifled, her brain went into complete overload, and all her blood rushed in tsunami waves towards The Nether Realm. This was a pivotal moment in the life of one Miss Emma Swan, to win…and take this Beezy out? Or to succumb to the onslaught of insults and gloating that were without question going to occur if she let her win. But to give into that torment in order to remain in this heavenly position seemed like a pretty fair trade, that decision could have been made easier due to the lack of blood flowing into her brain. As Emma continued to fight an internal battle, Regina had no idea what she was doing to the blonde. She was too caught up in the task at hand, that she got lost in it, and had no grasp of the labored breathing and sweaty palms of her cohort, let alone all the images flooding Emma's brain, which were all together new and unexpected. Regina only set Emma free when the location of flashing targets changed sides. She tore away from the sheriff and began to double tap the entirety of the left wall. Emma still feeling shell shocked tried to catch her breath, and maybe pull out a few tags so as to look like she tried to at least attempt and hit the damn marks. The final hall appeared and it was up to Emma to direct the car, she used this to benefit herself by turning just enough to completely blind Regina from the final destination. She imparted focused, calculated aim and blasted as many times as she could before the gun went dead and the ride came to a close. They placed their weapons back in the holsters and awaited the results. Emma received a 314,846 and proceeded to throw her arms in the air.

"Hah, Yes!"

She continued to victory dance in her seat, as she turned to gloat she saw Regina's face with an unexpected expression, a huge egregious grin. A powerful unapologetic smile and aimed directly at Emma. A long slender finger beckoned Emma's attention to shift from Regina's face to the screen before them. Regina had managed to distract her nemesis long enough for her skid far passed Emma's, what now seemed like a miniscule number. Turning out a whopping 670,050 points Regina simply let her smirk grown wider, never breaking the eye contact, and threw a very Judd Nelson-esque fist up in the air. Upon full extension she closed her eyes and dipped her head, just before letting loose a little secret cackle at Emma's shocked look.

"Have a nice day ladies!" The ride attendant stated, ushering the women to the exit.

They scooted out of their seats and to the way of the gift shop. Not before Henry snuck around and latched his arms to either of his mothers.

"Look! The ride takes a picture of you while you're shooting! Check out me and dad!" He pointed at a loaded screen with an image of Neal and himself both wielding their weapons high, aiming them in opposite directions, both wearing pensive focused faces.

"I look pretty badass, don't I kiddo?" Neal asked his son. Henry just laughed at his dad as Regina sent him a bored look.

"Badass isn't quite the word I would have used there." Hook placed an arm around Neal and squeezed. "Now go on and show us ours. I want to see if I look as dashing as Miss Ruby over here."

"That I think, is quite impossible my friend." Charming and the others had come up behind them and overheard the men's exchange. "You're makeup isn't as up to par as Ms. Lucas'." Charming beared his paper white bicuspids and made a dashing effort to live up to his given title. Hook feigned a hurt expression, and then watched as Henry searched the screen for his shot.

The image that appeared looked very similar to the boys, aside from the obvious gain in estrogen…or perhaps a gain in testosterone given the significant lack there was amongst the men in this downtrodden little group. Ruby shot up her guns and struck a Rosy the Riveter pose. In the photo she was shoving Hook's gun out of the way in one direction, and hers was aimed steadily in the other, one eye closed the other pin pointing her mark.

"And that right there ladies and gentlemen is how it's done. Won and Done!" Ruby cheered.

"Not sure that's how that phrase works…but it's cool." Emma hugged her friend. "How was breakfast Ma?"

Snow started to open her mouth but was cut off by a very excited little boy.

"Moms, I found your picture!" He clicked on the thumbnail, waiting for it to enlarge. The rest of the group stood around wanting to see what sort of silly faces the camera could have captured from their hero and their villain. To simply see any image of Regina looking less than stellar was something that was on every last one of their bucket lists. They were not however expecting what they got. The snap shot opened, and before them splayed out, was Regina no holds barred. Gun cocked, trigger finger in position, eyes squinted, her tongue darting out from between two pursed lips. Her entire body was draped across Emma's, looking like she could give two fucks where or what she was touching…as long the win was hers to be taken. Emma on the other hand, was not aiming her gun, unless the ceiling counted. Her arms were slightly elevated and her blue eyes were bulging out of her skull, yet completely transfixed on Regina's lithe figure suctioning itself to hers. Her face consumed by a look of unmitigated shock. Her cheeks a gentle hue of rose, and her convex eyes were dilated in a way that only Ruby caught on to. Being that it was sorta one of her lycan abilities.

Charming and the men laughed at their fallen queen and her childlike aggression. Henry, also not catching on to any of the not-so-subtleness of either mothers positioning, began to laugh along hysterically. Snow, was not so naïve and sensed something amiss. She again, didn't make a move to say anything, as she was more the sort to let things linger and then pounce.

Rumple…was not.

"Seems you may have found a weakness in our savior, dearie." He sneered and it made both Regina and Emma's blood run cold. To any on looker, including the family it was just a playful anecdote, but something in how he said it, didn't lead it to be taken as such by the persons he aimed it at.

"OH MY GOD! Hahahahahahahaha Mom! You look crazy! Were you trying to actually kill aliens? I think when we get home I'm gonna have to show you Halo, and introduce you to Gravemind!"

Regina just looked at him slightly confused, but was far too mortified by everyone witnessing her little stunt, that she couldn't quiet humor her son. She ducked her head in embarrassment, it was true, she had gotten a little carried away while playing, that she hadn't realized her actions. And now she'd clearly made Emma feel very uncomfortable. It was practically spelled out on her gawking forehead.

_Good job Regina, get her to finally be civil with you and then you have to go and throw a wrench in it…or just yourself. _

Regina began to exist through the gift shop, shepherding the group with her. No one noticed as Henry finished the email form and sent the photo of his mothers to himself. Too good to pass up, and he figured if all went according to plan, his moms may one day want this memory.

"So, should we do Star Tours?" Emma asked everyone. Without any verbal response they all began to walk to the rides entrance.

They made their way down into their seats. Henry was wedged between Emma and Neal, and he shook both of them with excitement. C3PO popped up in front of them, and shortly after, the riders were made aware that there was a rebel spy aboard the ship. Much to Charming's surprise he was pointed out as being the aforementioned spy. It was now the mission of the fleet to get him back to safety. As the ship took off with C3PO as its captain, they were herked and jerked all over the map.

They flew through space at beyond light speeds, they watched as ships attacked the alliance fleet, and battled between planets. They landed on new worlds, and they saw creatures the likes of which none of them could have ever imagined. The things on the screen coming to life, with the aid of the 3D glasses of course, even left Regina feeling amazed at the way things from this world worked. She's had time to adjust to some of this world's magic, but still hadn't been witness to some of the advancements that hadn't yet broken the barriers of her town. Hook on the opposite side of the spectrum was just losing his shit, plain and simple. Before long the ship took them plummeting into a waterlogged planet where they saw illuminated habitats, and an amphibious species. Crashing out of their "city" and into the murky deep, they were attacked by some sort of fish thing that took hold of their craft and shook them violently from side to side. Henry was fully amerced now, and gripped his moms hand and said "Think we'll make it out? Or do ya think we're gonna be fish food?"

Emma couldn't get over this kid. She leaned over and said, "Well, I hope we make it out alive, I don't really want to know what it's like to be fish food. And I definitely don't want to know what it's like to get crapped out by one either!"

Henry laughed at his goofier mother and shortly after they were saved, by a bigger fish…and then thrown back into the stars again. Once they were safely landed in the carrier they were thanked for bringing David to safety and C3PO gave his parting speech. The family exited the ride and all of the men aside from of course Rumple, ran to the gift shop, taken over by the need, and urge to grab as much Star Wars swag as possible to deck themselves out from head to toe in their favorite rebel gear. Rumple linked arms with Emma, a quandary for the female members left behind them.

"My dear that was certainly something to write home about, wasn't it?" Emma smiled at him nervously. "Are you enjoying our vacation so far?" Again, Emma smiled and this time added a nod. "You know, sometimes I do talk to people, just to talk to them, without ulterior motives."

"Sure Gold, sometimes ya do... but for as long as I've known you, it's always been something with you, one thing or another. Always some sorta trade. So, what is it you're going to offer me…and what do I have to do to get it?"

"That's something I've always liked about you Miss Swan. You never dally with the details. Always one to jump right in, feet first."

Snow and Regina watched from behind both anxious for the younger woman, but for different reasons. Snow of course didn't like the idea of Rumple propositioning Emma for anything ever. And Regina knew that the little imp could be very crafty and persuasive, and didn't want Emma to fall victim to his games. Strictly for selfish reasons she reminded herself. Somehow every time Gold conned anyone into doing anything it was to damage her in some way, shape or form. Snow tried to distract herself by talking to Ruby and Regina. Regina couldn't focus and instead kept full eye contact with the back of Gold's head trying to read his thoughts and intermittently nodding and "mmhmm-ing" at whatever it was the others were talking about.

"So, will you help me Miss Swan?" Rumples eyes were hard to read. Emma had a super power to know if he was lying…but there was no lie, or truth really to be deciphered here. What could it hurt? She shook his hand and agreed. That gesture…made Regina's knees nearly give out.

Once in the gift shop the pair parted ways. Emma standing stagnant in front of a large end-cap of Storm Trooper helmet piggy banks. Snow found her husband near a rack filled with t-shirts all painted with some variation of the same phrase, "I was a rebel spy." Hook, Neal and Henry stood building their own lightsabers. Hook was having a hell of a time, what with being one handed and all; he did however manage to grab the attention of a few younger women dressed in pirate garb themselves.

"I love your outfit." The bustier of the two girls said.

"Oh, well thank you pet. I quite admire yours as well. Do you too know the life of the sea?" She blushed and batted her lashes. Emma scoffed at the incorrigible man.

"I do actually, so what's your name sailor?" Hook grimaced.

"No love, it's Captain. And the names Hook." Her friend laughed and they looked at each other and giggled harder. Normally Emma would have stepped in to help one of her own out of any embarrassment…but this one she thought would be better left untouched. She left the greasy swashbuckler to his wenches and went off to find her own souvenir. Ruby was on the other side of the store at a second lightsaber building station, so she decided to join in the fun and craft one as well. Red to match Ruby's and also because she still had a little bit of bad left in her, nothing wrong with choosing the dark side every once and a while. Midway through completion Regina stepped up between the two.

"So, what did Rumple have to say to the savior?"

_Never one for subtleties are ya queenie? _

Regina really didn't care if she was being pushy or intrusive, especially not with Emma and definitely didn't care if the wait staff was there to hear it either.

"Well, if you absolutely must know…" She drawled waiting to see if Regina would grasp the hint that 'no…you really don't NEED to know'…and of course she just stood there with those incredulous eyes. Waiting…heels tapping in cadence with her fingers. Talking to Regina sometimes seemed like getting called into the principal's office…but with more potential punishment on the line.

"Aaaaaalrighty. Well, he just asked if I could talk to Belle." At the mention of Belles name Ruby's ears perked up. "He asked if I could just get some intel, see what's going on. Maybe find out why she's been so distant and maybe even help him to get her to open up to him, or at least help pave the way for him to ask her himself."

Ruby wanted to throw up. Her insides crunched together and felt like they were being demolished by wrecking balls. Her silent hopes were going to be steamrolled by one of her best friends. She knew that wishing for Rumples demise was something that only a horrible person could do. She knew that wanting for the end of someone's relationship, for her own personal gain was less than moral, but she couldn't help it. Ruby wanted her friend to be happy, but more importantly so, she wanted to be part of what made her happy. Rumple's intentions were pure, Ruby knew he loved Belle. She knew that he would do anything to keep her, and it made her heart clench in sadness and worst of all admiration. He was a good guy, at least to Belle, and really that's all that mattered. But any attempt that he made to bring Belle closer to him was an effort directly in opposition of her getting closer to Belle. She was torn. How do you remain friends with someone, which you are avidly trying to destroy something good in their life, to better something in yours? She shook her head to rid herself of the conundrum, and continued to work steadily on her saber.

"Oh, well. That's not what I had expected." Regina said with true amazement.

"Of course not…" Emma could sense the vibe coming off of Ruby, and deemed this topic of conversation over. If she was to keep the peace she'd have to figure out a way to help Rumple, and keep Ruby's obvious feeling for the target of this mission in a safe place as well. She didn't want to hurt this girl in the course of trying to save a relationship. Topic dropped…at least until Ruby was no longer in earshot. "Hey so, uhhh…do you wanna build a lightsaber?"

"A what now?" Regina looked down at the plastic bits that everyone she knew seemed to be futzing around with.

"A lightsaber. It's like a sword, but from space and hot…like a laser. Kinda like a giant laser beam that slices into meat and metals, and well everything really." Regina's eyes grew large with wonder, and excitement at the idea of a new and dangerous weapon to wield. Especially one with FIRE POWER. Regina had a definite thing for fire.

"Well, in that case…why not!" She picked up a purple business-end of the lightsaber, and attached it to its correlating pieces. The three women finished their weapons in silent concentration. Once done Emma flung hers rapidly in a cutting motion, allowing the "blade" to click into action. She pushed the red button on the side enabling the lights and sound effects.

"I challenge you two ladies to a duel!" Regina and Ruby traded glances at each other, before nodding and settling into take down stance. Before any of them could begin swapping blows, the others had made their way over, all of them having some customized version of an original saber. Rumple chose of course not to partake in any such frivolity. They paid and exited…perhaps the store wasn't the most responsible place to wage an all out war.

"We should totally have a lightsaber battle back at the hotel!"

"Sure kid." Emma led him with her hand on his head. "So now that we're all decked out in our Star Wars best…what's next on the agenda?"

"I heard from a few lovely ladies back there in the shop, that there is a wonderful ride, where we get to board a ship! Maybe we could venture that way?" The group agreed and made their way across Main Street and through Frontierland towards The Pirates of the Caribbean.

Emma became more and more relaxed every time they managed to travel somewhere in the park without running into an all too familiar character. The line for Pirates was short; they made their way up the ramps and into the boat house relatively quick. They enjoyed the scene inside and the cool breeze that was blowing in the musky room. On the wall they admired the portraits of some true life pirates, and Hook became a little overwhelmed, and got a tad chocked up looking at the faces of his comrades. None of which he knew personally of course, but to see the brothers of ship and sea, being held high and glorified through such lovely artwork made him feel part of something greater. Then of course he saw the painting of the two women pirates, and he had a few other less savory feelings to dwell on.

"Aaawwww yes, the ever elusive Lady Pirate. Quiet the curious creature my dear boy." He said placing a hooked hand atop Henry's head.

"You watch yourself around them women folk now. They'll steal your heart and rip it right out yer chest too." He took a careful glance at Regina. "And not like your lovely mother of course. They don't intend to ever return it boy." Neal smiled and remembered hearing the same speech from Killian many years ago when he was about Henry's age. His eyes lightly glistened remembering how he once looked up to Hook, and how now they were nearly the same age and it was his sons turn to look up to this man. He'd only hope he could become the same sort of influence that Hook had been for him, to his son. Their ship docked and they all stepped aboard. Hook tipped his head towards the woman ahead of them, aka the lady who pushes the "go" button.

"Here we go me hearties." Emma said in her best pirate voice. "Oh and by the way guys, you might get wet."

Suddenly Snow and Regina looked a lot less comfortable to be sitting on the outer sides of the boat. They took a slow start out onto the water, traveling at a nice pace through what seemed like a quaint dinning terrace on a dimly lit southern bayou. They passed a small shack like cabin, with an old man sitting on the porch, old quiet banjo music plucked away in the background. The moisture filled air and the light chirping of crickets took the boat load to a place that none of its passengers had ever been, members of the current realm included. The tiny watercraft made its way slowly under a footbridge and turned into a small corridor with a skull wearing a captain's hat, and two swords beneath it, above what looked like a dark tunnel entrance.

"Psst! Avast there!" The skull spoke, grabbing everyone's undivided attention, especially Hook's. The boat halted.

"It be too late to alter course, mateys...and there be plundering pirates lurking in every cove, waitin' to board." Hook's eye lit up in the darkness. It had been ages since he'd felt such a sense of adventure and excitement. Neal admitted to himself to being rather elated to take this ride next to his father, his 'pseudo' pirate father, and his son.

"Sit closer together, and keep your ruddy hands inboard. That be the best way to repel boarders." Regina instinctually scooted closer to Emma, Ruby doing the same on her other side. Emma, once again becoming the meat inside a sexy lady sandwich.

"And mark well me words, mateys…dead men tell no tales!"

Regina's heart minutely flinched at the skulls warning words. But before she could comment their boat went flying over some invisible mountain in the pitch blackness of the cavern. They landed sharply in a pool of water, sending the cold stagnant liquid over and inside the boat. Regina was rather wet on her left side now, Ruby and Snow had shrieked the moment water had touched them. Regina tried to obtain her cool exterior…that is until they took a second dive, this time a little faster sending more of the ride contents into her lap. She couldn't hold back the yelp when it soaked through her jeans. Emma laughed at her shipmates, retaining her dry seat. As the boat steadied and they smoothly propelled further into the caves, different themes played out.

A ship captained by a skeleton helmsman, with a backdrop of thunder and lightning was first. A cave covered in gold and riches of all sorts and sizes. To Regina's left, a large luxurious bed draped in expensive yet tattered looking linens, surrounded in more loot, another skeleton lying lifeless on its cushions. As they made their way out of the cave a mist met them, and a face appeared before them.

"No fear have ye of evil curses, says you? Arrgh…Properly warned ye be…says I. Who knows when that evil curse will strike the greedy beholders of this bewitched treasure?" The face dispersed and Henry lifted his hand to feel the mist. Several of the other members of the boat did the same. They were then pushed into a battle scene, two ships, one on either side of their little boat, shooting canons overhead.

"Stike yer colors, ya bloomin' cockroaches!" Hook looked up at the powerful looking captain and listened as he commanded and demanded his troops, and his foes.

"Surrender Captain Jack Sparrow or by thunder we'll burn this city to the ground!" With that another larger bomb went whirring by. A puff hit Mary Margret in the side of her head causing shock and fear, until she realized it was just that, a puff of wind trying to symbolize real canon fire.

The scene changed again and they were met with a little town, which looked to be on the verge of a fully fledged riot. A familiar looking pirate with a hooked hand stood near a well, another man being dunked over and again into the well.

"Where be Captain Jack Sparrow? Speak up! Or do you fancy a swim with Davy Jones?" The hooked man barked to the incapacitated well dweller, above a woman cried from a window.

"Don't tell him, Carlos! Don't be chicken …" Another man sent shots from the barrel of his gun in her direction. They dunked the man again before the woman reappeared.

Emma laughed at the scene finding the plump faced couple to be amusing, especially the wife berating her husband, even whilst he is being tortured.

_Can't catch a break can ya bro. Yeah…me either._

The boat shoved on. Floating further into the atmosphere they were met with a gaggle of drunken pirates at what looked to be some sort of auction.

"Weigh anchor now, ya swabbies. What be I offered for this winsome wench? Stout 'arted and corn fed she be…" Hook laughed heartily at the statement. Everyone saw the humor, but perhaps not as first handed as the pirate himself.

Regina laughed as well, but more so at the humor behind the art design. The 'wench' currently being bid on was the best looking of the bunch. Fully endowed with bountiful chest, and plentiful behind…the others not so much. Where they lacked in beauty they fully made up for in gracious amounts of ugly, and Regina just couldn't get enough of it. She chortled and Emma took note of the delight Regina got out of the evident misfortune of others. Be it paint and plaster molding…some things within the queens character would just never change.

"Hey, are you selling her by the pound?" An on looker and potential bidder shouted from across the canal.

"Shift yer cargo, dearie, show 'em your larboard side!" Again Hook hooted and hollered at the display.

As the boat pushed on, a spirited tune began to play, and a scene of a burning sea side town, and drunken pirates passed by. They found themselves floating through a prison where whistling jailbirds tried to gain the attention of a dog left in charge of the cell keys. Passed the cells two pirates shot without aim at each other as the small boat begins its descent up a steep hill. To Regina's left a handsome animatronic pirate that she recognizes as Johnny Depp begins to recite some sort of poem.

"Rascals and scoundrels, villains and knaves. Drink up me hearties, yo ho! We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs. Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Drink up lads! There's treasure enough for all! I shall take this paltry sum as a stipend to cover my expenses, and a chest of jewels. Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"

The ride skidded back to where it started, and the troop exited to New Orleans Square.

They gathered out in the sun to plan their next move, when something bright and Red caught Emma's eyes. The Captain himself was swiftly approaching them. Emma figured if any of her fellow Storybrooke squad would take kindly to their look-alike it would be Hook. She took his hand and pointed in the direction of the costumed character.

"Look, it's you!" Trailing behind him was Peter and Wendy, as well as Mr. Smee. "Wanna go say hi?" Hook oddly enough was completely game!

"Lead the way darlin." And so she did.

Regina and Snow were amused at this, mainly because it wasn't them in the hot seat just yet and also because Hooks Disney imagined version was almost as flamboyant and pompous as the original. Hook parted the crowds of people until he stood nose to nose, and hook to hook with his equal. Mr. Smee danced around him as if sizing him up for his captain. He tousled the pirated jacket, and lifted his hooked hand for the cartooned captain to see.

Hook, the costumed Hook that is, stood taller and took a long over the top walk about the fleshy Hook. Henry watched in bewilderment and joy. He motioned for his mom to take pictures, and she obliged, because this was another one of those Kodak moments she'd heard of.

The re-imagined captain took a last look at Killian and continued to march on down the way, not sparing him any further mind. Peter Pan on the other hand had a completely different take on things. He approached with caution, and wonder.

"Well, looky here? Another Hook eh? Hah…think you can take me on codfish?" The young sprightly looking lad bounced around the leather clad man poking him and playing with his senses. Wendy lifted her hands to her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"Hey, see here you!" Hook went to admonish the boy but he popped out of the way. If only this spring filled boy playing the role of Pan had known what the true Pan had been like…

Rumple watched the display of the boy, and imaged his younger father. This chap was nothing like the Peter Pan he remembered. A knife dug into the older man's chest at the sight, but he buried that pain deep deep down where it belonged.

"Codfish, codfish, Hook is a codfish!" The costumed boy sang as he ran off chasing the other captain, Wendy in tow.

"Well…that wasn't exactly what I had imagined. That scurvy little runt called me a codfish!" Killian said after they were no longer the center of everyone attention. Henry, Emma and Neal snickered at Hooks comment, and his obvious naivety to why it was funny to them at all. "I suppose if we're all done having a laugh at me, we could make our way on to the next amusement."

"Awww come on Pal, we ain't making fun of you. Everyone's gonna get it at some point this week from their fairytale likeness. You just happened to the first target." Neal patted his friend on the back. "Let's go."

"SPLASH MOUNTAIN!" Henry yelped! Emma had heard about this one, and pretty much everyone could assume by the title what it would entail.

"Well that was miserable." Snow announced as they walked back into the sun. They had full sized copies of the Splash Mountain photos, taken just before you plummet to your doom.

Emma, Henry, Snow and Charming sat in one log all with their arms up and giant wide smiles on their faces. Charming was really starting to get the hang of these rides, and actually enjoying the churning in his gut.

Another photo had printed out of the final remaining seconds before everyone had been completely drenched head to toe. This one contained Rumple in the back of the log, looking very un-amused. Neal and Hook had their arms almost completely extended, but left at half mast as it looked like they chickened out mid lift. Regina in front of Hook and Ruby in front of her…their faces were marked with a look of oh shittedness, two family photos that would certainly be cherished and talked about for years to come.

They all walked out feeling like drowned rats…Ruby, Regina, Snow and Charming bearing the brunt of the blow of water, none of them significantly fond of their damp situation…with maybe David as an exemption, he finally felt cooler in the sun.

Regina however was not having it one bit. She didn't care that they said she would dry out soon, her hair looked dull and her makeup was smudged and she refused, absolutely REFUSED to go through the rest of her day, and possible encounter with her other self, looking like the victim of a Kraken attack!

"I'm going to go back to the resort to change and freshen up. If the rest of you would like to continue on, that's fine. I'll also check on Belle. Make sure she's still alive and well."

"I'll go with you!" Ruby jumped to chaperone the regal back to the rooms. "I'll make sure Belle's ok, and I can change into something less see through." She said looking down at her white shirt.

"Ok, then we will go get some lunch and maybe ride this again. We can meet back up for Haunted Mansion yeah?" Emma suggested.

"Whatever you'd like Swan. I don't intend to be very long." With that the soaked women took their leave. Emma watching the sway of Regina's hips, and the way her jeans clung mercilessly at her backside when wet. She got lost momentarily imagining how hard it would be for just one person to try and pull those things off when tightened with water. Snows hand resting on the small of her back jarred her from the pictures streaming through her subconscious.

"Where to love? Want to get a bite at this Hungry Bear place?" Emma got chills, due to the awkwardness her mother always managed to ensure with her affection. Every time Emma's mind would wander to a few not so savory thoughts of her queen, her mom somehow knew, and prodded her way into it, causing Emma to want to vom…everywhere.

"Sure, whatever. Yeah…" Snow knit her brows. What had she down now? She couldn't win.

"Yay! I'm so starved; I'm gonna get a burger and a double order of fries. Think they got shakes here?" Ok…maybe she could win, if it had to do with her dope of a husband and his unquenchable appetite.

Emma turned, once the attention was off her and sought out the view of Regina walking away; alas she had managed to evade Emma's line of vision. Emma didn't want to admit these feelings to anyone, much less herself…but with every second of this trip, it was looking less and less likely that she'd be able to keep it in for much longer. Eventually she was going to have to admit, at least come to terms with the fact that she was 100 percent without a doubt, falling in 'something' with her sons adoptive, evil queen of a mother…and even more so, she wasn't really all that scared of it.


	11. Chapter 10

Sorry it's so short and possibly covered in errors...but I got a lot to get done, promise to update again soon. But here's something to hold ya over.

* * *

Regina and Ruby made their way out of Critter County and through the park as quickly as non-magic transportation would allow them. The feeling of damp cold denim sticking to her thighs was starting to agitate Regina on a whole new level. She was power walking through the crowds of milling patrons, weaving in and out of clusters and gaggles. Ruby, being the half animal creature that she was, was still finding it rather hard to keep up with the quickening pace.

"Regina, whoa…hold up a bit. I'm not wearing jeans like you…you're speed is making my legs rub together and chafe! I'm gonna get chub rub here pretty quick, and I'll be laid up for like a day and a half!"

"What the hell is 'chub rub'?"

Ruby snorted, and continued Regina's slightly less aggressive march.

"It's when your inner thighs rub together…usually when they are moist from water, or like sweat too. And you get this god awful rash, that like stings and burns and there is pretty much NOTHING you can do to fix it…but lay down with your legs all spread eagle. And well, wait."

Regina's eye nearly shot out of her head imagining Ruby lying on a hotel bed wearing her usual Ruby attire, with her legs spread to dangerous lengths. Regina's mind gently continued on the path of near perversion as she imaged the other things those long tanned legs of Ruby's could do.

_Must…get…to…hotel. Heat…is…melting my good judgment!_

Regina shook her head and then nodded.

"That does sound miserable; I'll try to slow it down a bit. I just don't want to stay in this get up much longer. "

"I really don't know why you're in such a rush. You look fine, fierce as ever."

Regina liked the sounds of complimentary words on Ruby's tongue. Especially directed at her, well to be fair, she didn't care who a compliment came from…she just loved when they were shot her way.

"Thank you, you're too kind. But I'm just not comfortable wearing wet clothes and sporting a drenched, and then dried mop on my head all day."

"You know there are other water rides right? And that it's going to continue to get hotter all day. It's going to be like 70 after it gets dark…Who are you trying to impress anyway. We all know what you look like. And I've yet to hear a single complaint from anyone I've ever met."

She felt a little dumb now, having it put so bluntly by Ruby. But all silliness or vanity aside, this had little to nothing to do with the members of her following. She needed to be perfect for her meeting with her other self. She couldn't be number one, the fairest of all…with ratty hair and running make up.

"I just like to look my best at all times. What's wrong with that? Taking pride in ones appearance shouldn't be something to be ashamed of."

"I didn't say that it was. I just…"

"It's done. We're already halfway there. And besides, I believe I heard you volunteer happily to join me. I assume it's for the same reason as mine. Or perhaps you have another motive?"

She sneered at the girl with an 'I dare you to contradict me' glare. And Ruby clamped her lips shut tight, picking up her speed to match Regina's strides. Once inside the lobby they went their separate ways, agreeing to meet back here in 30.

Once Regina was in her room, she shed herself of the offending fabric and collapsed onto her princess bed with a sigh.

"Keep it together. You can do this. Do it for Henry." Regina tried with very little gusto to give herself a bit of a pep talk. She lay staring up at the canopy, trying to eliminate the current worries from her mind.

Ruby, on the other side of the building had already gotten changed into a very similar outfit to the one she'd just removed. She combed out the tangles in her long locks and replaced her flip flops with some chucks deeming them better fitted for walking miles along the Disney streets.

She found Belle lying in a tower of pillows and blankets, her sleeping beauty the focal point of the bed. Belle's serine face poked out between two throw pillows, snoozing soundly the slightest hint of drool donning her usually well manicured features. Ruby found herself swooning mercilessly for this adorable person lying unconscious before her. Belle let loose the tiniest little moan of discomfort, as a delicate hand snuck its way from beneath the cluster of bedding to rub circles around her temple, and then to pinch the bridge of her nose.

The Lycanthrope cautiously took several short strides towards the bed. Once close enough she slowly hovered over Belle's scrunched up and miserable looking face.

"Hey there sweetness." Ruby whispered softly.

Again Belle gave away a small groan.

"You feeling any better?"

Belle didn't answer instead turning herself to face the woman, leaving her eyes squeezed shut. Ruby ran a hand over Belle's sweat slicked brow, and into her hair.

"Hey love, do you need anything?" Belle's voice was so small that Ruby couldn't make out anything tangible. She leaned herself in closer.

"What did you say B?" Her ear was nearly touching the softer Brunettes lips. Belle's heavy breath coated the side of Ruby's face, and poured seductively down her cold neck causing goose bumps to liter the entirety of her flesh. Ruby shuttered upon impact.

"Thirsty." Was all she could make out from the tiny peeping that was Belle's speech.

"Water, you got it love." She dashed to the small sink and filled up a glass with icy cold liquid.

"Here you go B, wanna try sitting up so you don't spill any?" When the woman didn't make a move to sit, Ruby used her free hand to tilt her head up just enough to coax the fluid into her mouth. Belle graciously accepted the offer, making sounds of thanks but remaining in a half sleeping state.

"Good girl, well…I gotta get going, I have to meet Regina downstairs in a bit and I don't want to be the target of her wrath when I'm late." She propelled herself up to take her leave when Belle's hand engulfed her wrist.

"Stay." Her voice was groggy and soaked in a layer of rasp that had Ruby's head drunkenly swirling. Ruby stayed facing the door, not sure that if she turned to face her captor she would be able to refuse her request.

"I…I, can't Belle." Belle's grip tightened meager amounts. She gave Ruby's wrist the smallest hint of a tug, and Ruby couldn't convince herself to break free. She made the fatal mistake of turning to face her, and caught sight of Belle's tightly pinched face, brows curved into sadness. Ruby sighed and gave in.

"I can stay for a few minutes, but no longer, I have to go back with the others." Belle nuzzled into the crook of Ruby's neck and held onto her with a lazy arm. Ruby relaxed into her embrace, but her mind was anything but.

Belle pulled Ruby's body closer to hers, burrowing her deeper into the cocoon she'd created. Ruby's senses were taken over by the smell, and feel of the librarian. She found herself becoming entangled in the other girl. Belle's breathing slowed and her arms and legs went limp, displaying that she'd succumbed to sleep once more. Ruby tilted her head to place a gentle kiss upon Belle's forehead before she tried to slither her way out from the clutches. The touch of soft cool lips upon her sticky skin tore her out of her dream state, and she hungrily climbed Ruby's body to make contact with her lips and the wolfs. Ruby couldn't believe what was happening. She was beside herself. Belle was clawing at her like a wild animal and as familiar an activity as it was to Ruby, she couldn't quite wrap her mind around Belle being this way with her. Belle's hands were tugging at Ruby's neck and getting caught in her hair, as her mouth sought out dominance over the shock stricken woman. Ruby succumbed to the affections of her bedmate and let her own hand search out Belle's figure. She ran a palm up the smaller woman's back and the other up her side. She found her hands following their way up to Belle's lovely neck and holding on for dear life, she let her lips crash harder into Belle's. They dueled, and danced for the upper hand, and just as Belle was about to let her tongue wander further into the concaves of Ruby's mouth…someone's phone chimed in loudly, breaking the moment into a million shattered pieces.

Belle's eyes flung open and what Ruby saw in the blue pools was not what she was hoping for. The phone continued to ring while the two women were temporarily frozen in time, staring at one another, both too fearful to make the first move. That was short lived. Belle clambered to the headboard pulling her knees to her chest; she stared down at her hands while she began to pick the skin around her nails. Ruby wasn't sure how to react here. She warily reached for her phone, and slid to answer.

"Hey, Regina…yeah sorry. I'm on my way down now. Mmmhmm, she's fine. Ok bye."

She tossed the phone to the foot of the bed and reached out to touch Belle's arm. Belle inched away from the tender touch and shook her head.

"Ruby, you should go." Her voice still sounded so tired, but now it was laced in regret and severity. Normally Ruby would have tried to stay and talk this out. She had never been one to run from a conflict, but this time, she didn't really know how to talk her way out of the situation. So she grabbed her phone, and refilled Belle's glass, placing it on the night stand with two Advil. As she exited the room, she turned to look at Belle, but her eyes were only met with the back of Belle's body as it slunk back into the safety of her pillow fort.

She let the door click quietly behind her, not sure what else she could do to manage the tight corner she'd somehow backed herself into. Walking the long corridors of the resort she felt the walls closing in around her. Suffocating her and caving in so much so that she was certain she'd need to press against them with her limbs to keep them from completely crushing her.

Ruby felt like she was falling, off and edge, into a bottomless pit, with no ladder, no rope, nothing. Just endless black and that feeling in the deepest part of your stomach that makes throwing up seem like a party. Each step she took she felt more like running, running anywhere. She couldn't, Regina was waiting, Emma, Henry and Snow were waiting. She couldn't hide from what she'd done, the most she could hope to happen, was that Belle would silently sweep this away and pretend it never took place. She didn't want to know what Rumple would do if he found out, and she wanted even less to know how Belle would react to her admitting that she wanted all of this; even all the spite and animosity that would come with it. She was willing to accept for Belle to be hers. That however, did not seem very likely given the reaction she got from the blue eye'd beauty.

Making it to the lobby where a very impatient and bothered looking Regina waited stoically.

"Come on Ms. Lucas. I'm sure they're all waiting on us!" Ruby hurried herself and followed alongside Regina as she exited the resort as quickly as she'd entered. If Regina noticed Ruby's distant look, she didn't say a word or let on that she was wise to it.

Together they walked through Downtown Disney, both taking careful note of different placed they wanted to stop later. The crowds had picked up since they had been here last and it began to pinprick Regina's nerves. She hated crowds, because she was so used to them being mobs, and being there for her…generally to lock her up, or knock her down. Large groups of people were her biggest fear, but there absolutely no getting around it. Ruby locked arms with her, a sensation she was not expecting. The taller women led her through the herds of people cattle and to the bag check booths. Regina silently thanked the waitress with her kindest make believe smile.

"I got you dollface. I won't let the sea of Mickey Mouse wearing peasants suck up in the undertow." Regina held on tighter and allowed herself to be sheltered and saved by someone new for a change. It didn't feel right, but it didn't exactly feel wrong either.

Once they'd made it passed the barricade and through the turnstiles, Regina took out her phone awaiting a response from anyone in her posse.

"They said they're over by the Pooh Bear ride." Ruby said glancing up from her screen. Regina tried not to let the obvious dismissal of her text bother her, and went along with Ruby's lead back to Critter County. Immediately upon their regrouping Ruby branched off with Snow and Emma…Regina feeling a little out of place amongst the men, but still accepting the normalcy of being excluded from the female pairing. Henry took care of her rapidly approaching envy and jealousy by putting a loving little arm around her midsection and leading her to the Pooh Bear entrance.

"Want to ride this with me Ma?" He looked up at her with the most angelic face she'd ever seen, or perhaps it was just in comparison to the look she herself had been emanating. She nodded happily and he skipped off with her through the line leaving the rest to stand by and await their return. Regina and her son boarded the honey laden beehive and allowed the attendant to buckle them in.

As the ride began to move, mother and son found themselves in the Hundred Acre Wood a honey hungry Pooh Bear chasing his stomachs craving with a balloon. As the scenery changes it begins to rain and they spin through the corridors watching Pooh get into his usual mischief. Tigger bounds through the room causing Henry to bounce with him in his seat. Regina is thoroughly enjoying this stolen moment with her boy. They follow along the tracks to Pooh's bedroom where he tumbles from bed into a world of color and mystery. They watch the gentle humming of woodland scenery take a wild acidic turn, colors swirl and churn into themselves. Buckets of tri-color paint drip from every surface, mirrored walls take them on a trip as Heffalumps and Woozles flurry through the room. Regina starts to inwardly worry as a Jack-in-the-box Woozle watches her and her son travel the rails. A pink Tigger tackles Pooh Bear to the ground near pools of honey. Regina's temporary fear is diluted when they are sprung from the dream state of the bear and see as he falls back into his body, enjoying some long awaited honey. The ride passes beyond Pooh's bed before they're brought into a party scene with the full cast celebrating Pooh Bears Birthday. Presents and party favors scatter the room, Regina claps her hands together reminiscing of the times she used to read these books to Henry, and vividly remembers this same scene. Henry hugs her tightly from the side of the beehive as the exit the tunnel and enter into daylight again. The sounds of buzzing bees surround them as the wait for their exit. Regina pans the area around them and spots her 'family' Emma watching intently as the rest of them keep busy with each other. Henry waves to his other mother and it tears into Regina in so many unwanted ways that she doesn't completely understand. She just had him to herself for the whole ride, undivided attention and he's still currently clinging to her person…yet her heart is clenched and greedy. Seeing him wave to that blonde enigma is pulling at every heart string she has. Not hours ago she was feeling happy to have this new welcoming feeling for her sons birth mother, and now something inside her was trying desperately to remove the invasive notion. She wanted to be sick…why, not even her own subconscious could side with her. She frowned at Emma's dopey smile and wave, she tucked her hands in her pockets as she abandoned the beehive and pushed passed the sheriff and into the gift shop.

_Well what the fuck now?_

Emma thought…first she had to placate a possibly self destructive Ruby by promising they could talk about her "secret" tonight alone, and now she had to deal with whatever the fuck bug crawled up the queen royal ass.

She signed and pulled Henry by the head into her side. A forced hug that had the boy laughing was the closest thing to comfort she could hope for in times like these.

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Don't judge me too harshly...just didn't want everyone to think I forgot about it.


	12. Note

**Hey folks! Sorry it's been like a billion years. I haven't forgotten about this fic...in fact I have the next chapter nearly done. I work all the time...seeing as I work in retail...and It's 5 days till fucking Christmas, not to mention I work in a bloody Toys R Us! So you can imagine how little time I've had to even think, let alone time to update! I will finish this story if it kills me! And it just might so Merry Christmas, hope you're all cheery and bright and I'll have more for you soon (perhaps before the year is up!)**

**Love you all!**


	13. Chapter 11

**Hey Ya'll, it's been a hell of a long time...and if I could tell you all the crazy things that have happened in the last cluster of months to explain the complete lack of posting on my part I would...but it would probably become its own version of a FanFiction...and that I have no interest in starting. So to try and make up for my absence I finished a new chapter to hopefully be there Re-opening of this Fic. For those followers I lost in my hiatus I hope you come back, and to those who stuck around patiently waiting...I LOOOOOVE YOU! Thanks ;p**

**Well here it is and I hope you enjoy!**

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They'd made it safely through the Pooh Corner gift shop relatively unscathed. The only member of the group feeling a little lighter in the wallet was Charming, as he'd had to shell out several twenties for Snow to come away with a bag full of PB swag. Regina had retained her silent composure the whole way through, a confused yet mindful Emma in her wake. It was a constant game of wits tug-a-war with this woman and Emma always managed to find herself on the losing side. She had a scathing case of the "Damned if you do-Damned if you Don'ts", and it was really starting to wear on her equanimity.

Ruby was moping in the foreground doing everything she could to remain out of Rumple's line of vision, and that only further lead to Emma's preconceived idea of what could possibly be Ruby's 'secret', and it made her even less excited to become part of it. She'd made it this far, and this many years as the barer of too many individuals hushed murmurings that she figure one more wouldn't tip the scales, but at the same time she didn't know if she was really willing to test the limits.

Emma stuck close to Henry's side, the only true member of her Calvary she felt absolute concord with. Henry only required her to be a ride buddy and partner in crime. He asked generally very little of her and only wanted the joy and company she brought. He loved her for who and what she was, just his mom, and by consequence also the savior but he never truly held that against her. Somewhere she knew he recognized that was not her own decided path in life, she was just as much thrown into this crazy fucked up story as he was, just a character that got written a story with little to no mind in how she'd ultimately feel about it. Without saying a word her seemingly clairvoyant son placed his little hand in hers and gave it a loving squeeze as if answering every worried thought in Emma's head, a non-verbal 'it's ok mom, I'm right here' hand hug. She looked down into his already awaiting gaze and melted into his tenacious eyes. She saw herself in the orbs, and unforgivably so, saw Regina…she tried to pry her sight from his lingering eyes but couldn't seem to retract. He just smiled that signature Henry smile and did the deed for her, seeking out his grandparents leaving her to blink away the image.

They made their way out of the Critter friendly playground passing furry creatures and enamored tourists along the way, coming to a halt in front of The Haunted Mansion. Rumple finally looked the teensiest sliver less bored and led the way to the line that curved around a pet cemetery. He admired the carpentry of the house, as well as the craftsmanship in the headstones, finding their little sayings and 'jokes' marginally clever. Its foreboding demeanor had everyone in the party completely engulfed. The stately manor perched villainously atop a hillside, staring ominously down at its awaiting guests, leading them in a catatonic trance up its twisted walkway. The gnarled gates raked along the building. Hook stared up at the towering house with a look of childlike wonder, at night he was certain he would have remained on the street beyond the fencing for even in daylight the estate gave off a gleam of utter malice. Neal didn't like it one bit…as much was to be expected at this point in the game. He stuck behind his father, which made Rumple once again feel a twinge of disappointment and disgust in his sons' lack of fortitude. Henry didn't seem to inherit any of Neal's trepidation as he managed to surpass his nitwit of a father in line and take up the lead just beyond Rumple's walking stick. Emma trailed behind breathing in the fresh Disney air and letting it sweep her up in the magic, this including the potential doom she crept closer and closer to. Not so much the ride that she was about to partake in, but the fact that somehow she always got partnered up with a spite filled ex royal. Even if it took bribery, she would not be forced to suffer through another ride of cordial closeness with that woman.

As they finally reached the large wooden door to the homestead, Henry and Rumple the first to encroach the threshold, Emma slowed up and grabbed on to Hook's arm. He was thrilled, she was not…but she had said she was willing to do anything and that meant at any cost…including holding Hook captive long enough to take the plunge into darkness with the Maybelline wearing man.

"Please, make your way into the foyer. The members of the house, have been dying to meet you." A woman dressed in an old timey maids attire announced to the long awaited guests. Emma could have sworn she felt Killian's unhooked hand tighten ever so slightly around her forearm, but made no move to call him out. She was playing the role of 'damsel' and needed to sell the part as well as she could, for both his, and her own sake. She watched the back of Regina's head follow behind her mother and father as they embarked down the dimly lit entryway. Electric candles flicker between life and death in what looked to be brass sconces and a barely feasible for lighting purposes anyway, Chandelier. It's said that when Disney himself opened this ride, he invited ghosts from far and wide to inhabit its rooms and roam its halls, deeming it a place for all lost and wayfaring souls to come and stake claim in the confines of this attraction. So legends say that sometimes you can actually see real ghosts and that perhaps you believe them to be members of the original layout, until the next time you ride when they've seemingly vanished, as if never there to begin with. As soon as everyone filled the room, the doors closed sealing them up in darkness.

Someone shrieked in a far corner, to scare and bring laughter to the large group. It in turn caused a feminine and very shrill squawk to come pouring from Neal's lungs. Rumple rolled his eyes in the cover of darkness and took several evasive steps away from his sons' location. They were ushered into a second room, equal in space to the one before. Until the door closed behind them everything seemed normal, then they realized that this room was baron of any exits. The one they had used seemed to erase itself from their plane of existence. A moment of horror washed over everyone in the Storybrooke clan.

_Shit_

Regina thought. She didn't like tight inescapable places, especially when magic wasn't a palpable answer for her departure, not with all these witnesses. She sought out Rumple for a game plan but he was hidden behind the huge sardine cluster of people. The attendant told everyone to 'Please fill in all the dead space' and to 'drag their bodies to the center of the room'. Regina liked nothing about this…the innuendo in the man's weary words made her skin crawl. This was half the reason Henry could never get her to watch horror movies. In her world, no such terror existed unless actually happening in real time, and generally no one was enjoying the momentary burst in stomach bile and adrenaline. Fear was not a fun factor in the Enchanted Forest, it was used as an alert signal meaning "fucking run…some scary shit is gonna go down!"

An eerie voice piped up sending Emma once again into the clutches of her seafaring gentleman.

_Oh kill me now for I would gladly take the release of sweet, sweet death over the pain of riding this thing next to something as terrifying as Killian 'Captain Hook' Jones._

The ghostly voice began its taunt.

"Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching?"

As they all look up to observe the paintings on the high walls above them, they notice they begin to shift and change ever so slowly. The floor beneath them begins to pull and stretch and creates an uneasy feeling in the caverns of everyone's stomachs.

"Or is it your imagination, hmmm?"

Neal shutters with the thought that this could really be happening…and then doubles the shaking when he thinks it could also possibly be simply in his mind.

"And consider this dismaying observation: this chamber has no windows and no doors"

The voice cackles with a boisterous roar that would normally have Regina applauding and off practicing her own pitch and boom, but in this state she finds it rude and doesn't like it one little immutable bit.

"Which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out!" The paintings have extended to their fullest. Revealing what were once ordinary paintings, that without warning took a very drastic and deadly turn. A beautiful young woman wielding a parasol went from simply standing, staring at the viewer with a Mona Lisa like smile. It then becomes known that she is the sole member of a one woman balancing act. Standing on a tightrope hovering over the jaws of a hungry and happily awaiting her fall, alligator.

Another depicts a man with a large beard in a suit and tails, standing proudly only to moments later show he is actually standing atop a barrel of dynamite. A candle sits lit dangerously close to a wick. Another even sweeter so, an old woman sits holding a lovely red rose. A demure smile pulled upward on her wrinkled lips…little by little her true nature comes forth as we see her not resting on a stool, but a headstone reading 'REST IN PEACE, dear beloved George' a bust beneath, a convenient hatchet lodged into the top of his balding head.

And finally the last tableau, a man donning a bowler hat. A happy almost smug grin spread across his face, arms crossed happy with his position. Eventually a second man appears less happy than the previous. His face is almost red with rage or perhaps distress. He clutches to the man sitting on his shoulders. We are then shown yet a third man, carrying both men upon his shoulders, his face contorted into the utmost look of fear. His hands clenched, white knuckling each other as we see that they are slowly but surely sinking into a pit of quick sand, as says the sign placed next to them.

The low lights completely flicker off and the room is propelled into complete black. Lightening crackles and once again the voice returns.

"Of course, there's always my way out!"

Above them in moonlight a man hangs limply from the rafters a noose tied around his neck…again the room goes Black, and a scream this time not a patron but part of the attraction rings in our guests' ears. Neal matches its pitch, but so do several other guests in what seems to be some sort of traditional shout before the exit appears and people race out of the room to the ride.

They make their way down a gallery of sorts. More seemingly innocent paintings hang on walls as a storm wages fiercely outside. As they move the painting take new form and become demonstrative versions of the prior selves. At the end of the hall busts follow each person, turning to watch them board the ride.

A black buggy pulls down another moving sidewalk. Silent dead eyed ushers point the way to the cars. Rumple and Henry make their way onto the first 'Doom Buggy', not before Neal can shove his way into the seat completely smooshing the poor boy between father and son. Rumple would have rolled his eyes, but they were beginning to hurt from the amount that they'd already rolled in the last 4 minutes.

Next on was Ruby who took Regina's hand, much to her surprise and pulled her into the spacious car beside her. A pang crept its way into Emma's chest but she dismissed it. This was what she had wanted after all.

Her parents followed the female duo, not before Snow could send a coy wink in her daughter's direction, and David a warning glare in Hooks.

Hook, the gentleman he was bowed and gestured for Emma to enter first. She obliged and ventured onto the carriage offered. The four black buggies engaged up a staircase into more darkness, as expected.

The carts turn to travel down a long hallway, backwards. Regina can't help but admire the wallpaper and overall décor of the place. She watches as doors pass her, each presenting a new fear. A growling door, that seems to hold something vindictive behind it longing to be set free nearly bending the wood to break in its struggle to be unleashed. A clock strikes 13 and she frowns at its queerness.

_Well that's rather impossible._

As she takes in her surroundings, she feels the familiar heat of a body pressing up against hers. Without giving away too much that she's taken notice, she glances down in the dark to see that Ruby has pushed herself closer to her and is now sharing the same leg space.

_Hmmm…_

She ponders.

A car length behind her Emma is all too aware of Hook invading her leg space and she's not trying to hide that she knows. In fact she has been ramming her leg against his to jam it back into his side since the ride began.

As they leave the hall they enter a séance hosted by who we know to be 'Madame Leota…a floating disembodied head…in a crystal ball.

"Serpents and spiders, tail of rat; call in the spirits, wherever they're at. Rap on a table; it's time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond."

A knock which Emma assumes is to mimic what a knock on a table would sound like clambers into her ear drums. From somewhere in front of her she hears Neal whine. Then she can just barely make out Regina and Ruby almost snuggling together in the car ahead of her obviously snuggling parents.

_WHAT THE BLOODY FUCKING FUCK!? Really? She's into Ruby. No…not possible. Uhhh what the fuck is Ruby's secret. Was I totally off? _

Emma momentarily considered sideswiping the lap bar and walking over to that wolf woman and…well no, she has no say in any of this. If Ruby is going after Regina, and Ruby is Regina's happy ending, who is she to stand in the way. After all, she is the savior…and a savior helps, she doesn't derail. Besides, why should she care anyway…right?

_Right._

Emma leaned into Killian, and gave way to his tugging. If he wants me, I guess he can have me then. She tried to get comfortable in his clutches and watch the rest of the ride.

"Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween: awaken the spirits with your tambourine."

A tambourine spins passed them shaking out a less then lively tune.

"Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond; let there be music, from regions beyond!"

A horn plays a dead note and it makes Neal's blood run cold. A cold gust of theatre wind howls and Henry giggles with excitement.

Rumple wishes he could have had this boy to call his son, in trade for the sniveling wimp beside him.

"Wizards and Witches, wherever you dwell, give us a hint, by ringing a bell!"

A bell rattles, and Regina feels a momentary lapse in judgment as she flicks up her own magic and serenades Ruby in a choir of Bells. Ruby giggles at the woman showing off for her.

Whatever was playing out in that car beyond was stupid and Emma hated it.

_Really, Regina..Bells? Wooooow, you're so cool! Jiggle some more bells you big powerful witch you! Be still my heart. Bleck!_

Emma buried her head in Hooks lapels, much to her dismay and much to his approval.

They continue through the house and into a large ballroom beneath them. They look out over a banister and beyond into the realm of the dead. A party of sorts is errupting, dancing ghosts swirl across the dance floor. A large family size table is cluttered with party favors and plates…as well as a lavish birthday cake. The supposed birthday girl stands on a chair blowing out her candles. Two portraits of militia come to life and shoot at one another.

Hook throws a daring arm over Emma, one she immediately wants nothing but to tear off and throw into the scenery, but allows to linger as she's bringing herself to approve of its presence. Regina catches sight of it and bites back disgust. She looks away from gruesome sight, and focuses her attention back on the ride, and back on the completely willing girl beside her. She should try and enjoy attention when it's given regardless from whom it sprouts.

They enter the attic, where relics of the past lay lifeless, covered in decades of dust. A string of wedding pictures glide by set in different scenery. It would seem as though the Bride remains the same, the husbands however change…and lose something similar each time…their lives, as well as their heads.

As they leave the attic, the bride manifests holding a concealed knife, she smiles and states eerily.

"I do…I did. Till Death do us part." The knife coming completely into view.

_How I'd like to be the one holding that knife right about now._

Regina thought as the exited.

The buggies repel them into the final scene. A jittery man stands just beyond the gates of a lively graveyard, an emaciated dog at his side looking as uneasy as his master. A spritely song begins to boom to life around them and apparitions come forth into the atmosphere. Henry didn't personally know the tune but he hummed along and bumped back and forth between his father and grandfather, encouraging them to lighten up and enjoy the party. Neal tried to put on a brave face for his son and he too started to sway. Rumple a little less enthusiastic, still humored the boy by tapping his foot and cane in cadence with the beat, bobbing his head ever so minutely with his grandson. If it was the last thing Henry ever did he would get each person in his traveling caravan to at one point or another enjoy themselves, and maybe even shed some of the hostility and uptightness of the old world.

"When the crypt goes creak, and the tombstones quake. Spooks come out for a swinging wake. Happy haunts materialize, and begin to vocalize. Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize!"

Ruby was moving her head to the sound of the ghostly song, Regina found it endearing and allowed herself to be taken by the ride, as she too started to bob along. Snow caught sight of her best friend and her step mother getting on relatively well and it made her heart feel a tad lighter. She nudged David for him to witness a shift in Regina, but he was too busy getting his Charming groove on to the afterlife folk song. A row of singing busts appeared and Henry chuckled at his dads' immediate stillness as they passed. Emma saw as she rounded a corner the three cars ahead of her carrying the people she'd once considered strangers and were now her closest family.

"As the moon climbs high over the dead oak tree, spooks arrive for the midnight spree. Creepy creeps with eerie eyes, starts to shriek and harmonize. Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize."

Emma continued to watch with each passing turn of her buggy, the people she now loved the most laugh and sing along. She liked seeing a smile on Regina's fickle lips…but she found it hard to accept when it was Ruby creating it. She once again succumbed to the fate of her trip and let Hook dance next to her trying to draw her into his thrall.

As the passengers took their final turn a voice chimes in to offer a warning.

"Beware of hitchhiking ghosts." The group is told they will be haunted until they return again, for the house wants them to join their ranks amongst the spooks. A mirror lined wall reveals a trio of hitchhiking ghosts. As the trudge along further more mirrors appear and each buggy gets a special guest to join them on their exit. Henry being seated in the middle has a ghost sitting directly on his lap. He cackles with delight as his father shoots across the buggy as far as he can to avoid the specter. Regina and Ruby are joined by a very thin and frail spirit who smiles back at them from between the glass. Snow and Charming look beside them as a plump ghost sits smiling fiendishly. Lastly Emma and Hook meet their tagalong, Hook removes himself from Emma and wraps an arm around the invisible man, matching his wide toothy grin and Emma is not…amused, but further put off. But, she swallows her pride and sends him a halfhearted grin for his ego to hold on to.

They took their leave along an incline pulling them forward on what was becoming one of Henry's new favorite rides, yet another moving sidewalk. Just as they were all about the exit into the heat of midday LA the bride from the attic reappeared beckoning them in with her enticing incantation.

"Hurry back, hurry back!" in an unnerving sing-songy voice.

Hook took the ride through the Haunted home as some tawdry invitation to lock himself on Emma mercilessly. Regina observed from a distance the sordid exchange where in Emma allowed Hook to hook her arm in his, with a push of breath she let her lungs collapse and accept that the savior had found someone to savor.

Henry asked the group if they could take a boat trip around the river on the Mark Twain, and they all obliged, everyone happy to take a leisurely journey. After they set sail Henry wandered off in the direction of several boys his age playing with identical lightsabers as his own. They quickly made acquaintance and short work of starting an all out duel. A saber war ensued at the head of the boat. Charming and Neal became on lookers and at times referees. Rumple took Emma aside and detailed his plan of regaining Belle's affection. They formulated a pretty decent plan relatively quickly, figuring that it wouldn't be too hard to get a girl to continue loving you, much simpler than convincing one who didn't that she should. Emma frowned at her own realization.

Hook gave up waiting for her to finish, and gallivanted off to join the other men. Ruby and Snow had since been chatting at one side of the boat, but migrated to the men as well, joining in on watching their youngest play freely. Regina was nowhere to be seen. Emma searched around slyly without moving from her position so as to not give off that she was in fact hunting the woman like prey. No luck, the woman was a shadow and had vanished in the light. Emma couldn't keep tabs on her all the time without trudging up some serious question from her family, as well as the raven haired being herself. So she let her be lost. Snow laid an arm around her pulling her into a hug, they watched Emma's son skip about and for the first time in a long time be a child, with other children, happy without worry or fear. These kids didn't know his story, didn't know his passed or his lineage. All they knew, or cared about was that he was somewhere within their peer group and he had a plastic weapon that he was willing to flail about with them. His eyes sparkled wildly and his little legs jumped and dashed in careless wonder.

Above them, on the upper levels Regina stood alone watching the trees and water flow passed her. She took in full breaths of the flavorful air around her, becoming one with her surroundings. She had a litany of emotions and concerns gathering in her core. She shut her eyes to absorb the roaring silence behind her sealed lids. The large craft made its way around the river and back to the dock. Before Regina had time to recollect herself, her vacation family was calling out her name, beckoning her departure from the safety of solitude.

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**There ya have it, sorry it's nothing super long or tasty...but it's something to wet your pallet while I get back into the swing! Chapter 12 hopefully soon to come 3 please review so I know if I've completely lost it!**


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